A Leaf Turned
by Victor Weiss
Summary: Adam and Blake flee the White Fang together, but knowing that the White Fang will remain on the move they decide to part ways. Blake would track their former brethren and hopefully keep them in check with the proper authorities. Adam would have to face his personal bias against Humans. By attending Beacon Academy as Adam Belladonna. Dust help him. T for Language and violence. RnR.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**A Leaf Turned**

 _Adam Taurus and Blake Belladonna have left the White Fang, assumed dead by their former allies and now "free" of the past but not their conscious they part ways. Blake to embark on a quest to track and monitor the White Fang operations across Mistral._

 _Adam has to learn to survive the stupidity that is Beacon Academy._

 _Dust help him._

 **Prologue**

* * *

 _Damn you, Blake._

Adam had been thinking this a surprising amount since their separation on their varied quests to ensure they could use their considerable skills to actually help the world around them rather than destroy it. Sure enough, Adam would have been more than content to lead his revolution… But Blake had helped him see that his "revolution" had become nothing more than hatred fuelled violence. He had buried his noble cause in anger and had she not made him see it then only Blake would have left on that train a week ago.

Though now as he found himself not only without his mask, feeling ridiculously exposed without it, he was cramped in what would have been roomy airship cabin had it not been for the dozens of other occupants, The airship was on its way towards the prestigious Beacon Academy where he would spend the next little while apparently learning to live with the seed of hatred nestled in his heart.

Blake's idea, purely.

He would have simply been content to help as best he could without having to waste his time learning to tolerate every human. But Blake had claimed he needed to walk among Humans and Faunus together, to see that despite all the racism towards their kind there were Humans willing to overlook it all in favor of working together for the greater good.

"Tch," He scoffed and reached up to adjust a mask that was no longer there. He checked the motion and frowned. Reminded again of how exposed he was, Adam lowered his hand, clutched Wilt and Blush all the more tightly in his left hand. His gaze swept the occupants of the airship again.

Most of them seemed to have formed their little cliques already. Some lingered alone, looking just as lonely, others looked more than relieved. Humans and Faunus were mixed together, but it wasn't the "harmony" that Blake had spoke of. It was more a mutual disinterest in the other parties.

Perhaps that was just another step in the right direction? Or was it just one more way Humans tried to shun Faunus? By pretending they weren't even there?

Adam couldn't answer that. Not yet, he doubted he'd ever have a clear answer to such questions so soon while he was still cradled in his own bias. Blake had warned him time and time again not to cause a scene while they were parted. Even now he had to resist the urge to glare at any Human who dared to so much as glance his direction. he'd already done so more than he'd liked to admit to his partner, who was probably sweating her ears off in some Mistralian forest, tracking their former brethren.

He only hoped she was as miserable as he was at the moment.

"Ew! Yang! It's all over your shoe!" came the shrill cry of a severely grossed out little girl in a red hood and cloak, who was gesturing to the boots of a taller blonde, Yang, Adam assumed from her shout.

He raised a brow. And like he, many others had taken note of the display as the blonde girl chased the little red hooded girl down in some playful attempt at… What, exactly? Adam didn't know. But the little show was enough to remind him that Humans enjoyed such carefree lives.

The bull Faunus sighed and closed his weary, red eyes. _There's that bias again,_ he thought. Blake was right, he definitely had to work on it.

Still, he had to admit seeing the blonde boy rush past him towards the bathroom in some desperate dash to likely find a more appropriate place to empty his upset stomach, was at the very least funny.

It wasn't long after that little incident the passengers were greeted by the holographic figure of another woman. Blonde, fair of skin and figure. Strict in stance. _Definitely an authority of Beacon_ , Adam thought when she began to address them about their upcoming stay at the academy and what she expected of them.

He only paid half the attention he should have, really. But honestly, it wasn't anything new and he already had a plan in how to "survive" what amounted to Huntsman High School. Blake had given him very strict warnings, be good, but not too good that the teachers suspect he might have more experience than he showcased. Be cordial and finally, no big scenes.

" _Just play the part of a student looking to make the world a better place. Who knows?"_ She had said with a smile. _"You might not even need to act after a while."_

He snorted then and he snorted now. "Don't hold your breath, Blake," he muttered to himself as the airship began its descent.

"Beacon is our home now."

Adam didn't jump when he noticed the hooded girl and her blonde friend had somehow found themselves next to him, staring through window at the impressive sight that was Beacon Academy. He turned away. He wasn't going to be around these two. They were too happy, too noisy. Too _Human_.

He then saw the blonde male from earlier, looking green as ever and ready to once again empty the contents of his stomach.

 _On second thought._ Adam kept his place by the window and the two noisy Humans rather than risk his own attire. _I best try and get used to being around Humans_. _And at least these two are ignoring me._ The Bull would be pleased for this slight mercy at the least.

The ship finally set down and the call to disembark was made. A reminder was made that all their luggage would be delivered to the great hall and that all first year students were to head there to get settled in for the coming night.

The blonde and hooded girl were lost in the throng of people, and knowing the blonde dubbed "Vomit Boy" was behind him, Adam quickly stepped into the crowds and got himself lost. He didn't even bother to "read" the holographic map that was being displayed on the screens he passed by on his quest to put as much space between the crowds and Vomit Boy and himself.

Five minutes and more than a few grumblings later, Adam was beginning to realize he really should have paid more attention to his surroundings rather than on the fact he didn't want to be around Humans. _I realize I'm going to have to omit a lot on my report to Blake tonight,_ he thought lightly. She must never know of his unease. _Ever_.

 _She never would._

It wasn't until the sound of an explosion that Adam was pulled from solo wanderings and his instincts had him rushing towards the sounds of could-be combat. His right hand grasped Wilt in preparation, the inkling of excitement forming in his heart.

He stepped into the middle of a clearing and discovered quite the scene.

The redheaded girl from before was on the ground, covered in a mixture of soot and dust, both literal and powdered crystal type, while looking extraordinarily sorry and surprised that whatever had caused the scorch mark around her had happened at all.

But that was second in Adam's mind because he was more focused on the other woman, who was also covered in soot and rather than sorry she just had a frosty glare and scowl on her lips that told him she would soon break into a tirade. White hair, ghostly pale skin and dressed in icy blues and pale white fabrics. The Snowflake crest upon her jacket was only further designation of her identity.

She was a Schnee. But not just any Schnee, it was _the_ Schnee Heiress.

Arguably the biggest threat to Faunus equality was the Schnee Dust Company and their borderline slave treatment of Faunus labour, along with questionable business partners and backroom dealing in weapons research and funding for Atlas. Adam could think of no more bigger threats than her father himself. And she was right there.

So undefended, bar her two bodyguards, who looked ready to fight but Adam was sure he could dispatch them easily and then he would need only rend her head from her shoulders and- _Adam, no!_ Adam stopped at the sound of Blake's harsh chastisement echoing in his mind. The same scolding she had given him when he suggested, and then argued, blowing the train with the crew still aboard to make their deaths all the more believable.

He hadn't even realized he'd had Wilt half drawn until Blake's words shook him from his thoughts and with a click. He sheathed his weapon again. Hearing its cry for blood dull to nothing when the blade was fully hidden again..

He couldn't cause a scene. He would not.

"You idiot! Do you even know what sort of damage you could've caused?!" Weiss continued to snap.

Adam absolutely would not start a scene. Not even with that total ice bitch currently picking on a cowering Human who only looked like she wanted to apologize and be on her way.

"I said I was sorry!"

"You're lucky we weren't blown off the cliffside!"

The Bull clenched his teeth and marched forward. He wasn't here to play the hero but there would be few times he'd actually have reason to tear into a Schnee like this that wasn't actually tearing into her with his blade.

"Who do you think you are?" the little girl in red demanded, apparently tired of the Schnee's attitude, Adam could honestly relate. He just had to look at her and he wanted her gone and dead.

"I'm-"

"Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and all its shady reputations."

Adam would freely admit he'd waited for the insufferable woman to open her mouth so that he could interrupt her. Afterall, Schnee had big egos and were extremely proud. He also loved the way she had jumped, apparently not expecting someone to be within five feet of her blind side without a sound.

When Weiss turned to look at him, her icy-blue eyes narrowed into slits as she saw the pair of black horns crowning the top of his head. Her frown only deepened and fire lit in her eyes. "Hmph, Shady reputations?" she scoffed. "It figures a Faunus would buy into that tabloid babble."

"A Schnee picking on someone of lesser standing." Adam countered, trying to resist the urge to outright growl or kill her. "I'd say I'm surprised but that would be a lie."

He loved the way her cheeks flushed with rage. And he enjoyed the fact that he could get under her skin.

The Schnee grit her teeth. "You-"

Adam interrupted her. Again,By stepping past her, going as far as to brush his bicep to her shoulder. She was so short and fragile she was easily knocked aside and staggered. He continued onwards, ignoring her shouts of "ruffian" and other derogatory names.

He couldn't stop the grin that tugged at his lips. That had been very satisfying.

Vomit boy then stepped into the clearing ahead of him and Adam twisted on his heel and altered his path away from the blonde. Nope. Not going near that.

Adam thankfully found the great hall not another five minutes later, and with all the students around setting up their "places" on the floor for the first night at Beacon. He quickly found a nice corner that was out of the way and lowly lit. he sat down against the wall and pulled his Scroll from his coat. A flick of his thumb and it opened fully. He selected Blake's contact icon.

He began to type out his message to her. It was simple, really, to the point. Adam began to recount the events that had transpired since his arrival in Vale and handing his "transcripts" to Beacon administration, and their acceptance. Officially, he was listed as seventeen as opposed to his real age of twenty-one.

He also wasn't Adam Taurus, he was Adam Belladonna. A switch of their last names to ensure they wouldn't be found so easily as someone just looking for their names in registry accounts. He doubted the White Fang had the expertise to look inside Beacon's computers. Better safe than sorry, Blake had reasoned.

He had to wonder who was leading who in their new life.

He also wisely chose to omit much of his encounter with the Schnee Heiress and instead simply informed Blake he had met a Schnee and did not like it. He ended the message on a Goodnight to her and sent it.

The reply came not a minute later and it was as simple as he'd come to expect.

 _Goodnight, Adam._

The Bull closed his Scroll, glanced around and then, still fully dressed, readied for his first night at Beacon Academy. And did he ever feel like it would be a really troublesome night.

* * *

 **End of chapter 1**

 _There it is, another RWBY Fanfic, this time a multi-chapter one about Adam essentially in Blake's place, why? Because my friend dared me to try this and by the magic of Dare I am trying it! See how long it lasts, eh? Anyways, if ya like it. Read, review, etc, etc._

 _Have a nice day!_


	2. Chapter 2: Night and Morning one

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Night and Morning one**

* * *

 _Damn you, Blake._

Adam had a feeling he'd be starting many a day and night with that simple thought and tonight, not even fifteen minutes after "settling in" as it were did he find himself damning his old partner again for the simple fact that he was being approached by the noisy duo of Blonde and Red, well, more like Blonde was approaching and she was dragging Red towards him. His brief hopes that she was merely coming his way and would turn to someone else were quickly dashed when she stopped just a good enough distance away from him. All smiles.

Adam wanted to sigh. He kept his eyes on his current focus however, Wilt and the cloth he was using to clean the blade. He hoped this would deter them but it did not either. He was quickly losing hope for a peaceful night.

"Hello there! I'm Yang and~" The blonde spoke and almost immediately he sighed when she gestured to the red hooded girl. "I believe you two know each other." She finished.

The bull almost demanded to know whatever gave her the idea he knew the red hooded girl. But, instead without even so much as looking up at them he replied. "The girl who almost exploded the Schnee outside." He smirked a little at that to his own amusement. "We've met briefly."

 _Just a shame she didn't succeed_. He thought.

The girl blushed and sputtered an explanation of how that wasn't her fault. Yang on the other hand laughed. "See? He likes what you did!" She cheered for her.

He however just continued to polish Wilt's blade. Easy methodical wipes of the slightly damp cloth left well maintained crimson metal in its wake.

"Sooo," Yang said again several moments of silence. Adam wanted to sigh again. "What's your name?"

"Adam." Responded the Faunus so dryly he'd have made the population of Atlas thirsty despite all the snow.

"Adam, huh? That's a nice name! This is my sister, Ruby!"

This time he did sigh. "…A pleasure." It _really_ wasn't.

Again he didn't look up and focused on the small scratch he spotted along Wilt's surface with a frown. When had that happened? Ire rose as he considered how best to treat the weapon's surface for the scratch.

"Yeah, this guy is a lost cause." _Finally!_ The blonde was speaking sense. Now they just had to leave him alone.

"Find a scratch?" This time both Adam and Yang were surprised to see it was Ruby who'd spoken.

Adam replied. "Why do you ask?" He was just a smidge interested in the reply.

Ruby gave a small smile. "I get the same face when I see the same on Crescent Rose! She's my weapon and I forged her myself so I get really ticked when I see she had a scratch on her blade segments so I know the feeling you're expressing!" She explained proudly.

He had to admit that was fairly impressive that she had forged her own weapon. If he had to guess she was likely from Signal, as that Academy had a rule that all students forge their own weaponry. "I see," He said finally. "It is a scratch."

The girl in red looked excited to find a topic she seemed to actually enjoy. Weaponry. Adam… could honestly relate. "So, what sort of metal did you use for you weapon's blade?" She asked excitedly.

"Two layered. The outer edge is Vacuan Steel, but the core is Atlesian Iron." He explained, tilting his head. "Why?"

"I use a special polish for Crescent Rose, it uses dust and flakes of the metal you used to fill in scratches, rather then burn off metal! Just flake in some of the same steel and wipe thoroughly, apply a little heat treat with a blow torch and you're good!" The red hooded girl explained with a wide smile. Eager to be of help.

Adam was…genuinely surprised. "And you'd be willing to lend me some? A total stranger?" _A Faunus?_ He asked while his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why?" This human girl had no reason to aid him for free and there had to be a catch. Some term she'd name now or at some later date.

"I just wanna be helpful!" She replied with all the innocence in the world.

That response stopped the bull in his tracks with enough force that his suspicious stare became a perplexed blink. _She just_ wanted _to be helpful?_ He thought and went over the idea of some random human girl just _wanting_ to be of help to a random Faunus like him. The idea itself was so foreign, so _alien_ , it took Adam longer than he'd like to admit to himself to just process it enough to respond.

"Why do you want to help me?" He asked with real wonder.

Ruby looked almost embarrassed with her coming reply. "Well we're training to become Huntsmen and Huntresses so we're already training to help people and the way I see it since we're all going to be doing the same thing I think it's just right I help out my fellow students too if I can!" She blushed and cleared his throat. "So…Yeaaaah."

Adam could only, after getting over the surprise, shake his head. That seemed like a terribly naïve way of thinking about things. But she was just a girl, in fact she seemed even younger than her blonde sister.

"Aww!" Yang cooed and wrapped her sister into a hug that Adam swore he heard bones creak. It only devolved further when Ruby raised a fist and soon the siblings were a mix of flimsy, half hearted attacks and just as lacklustre insults.

Adam wisely chose this time to go back to cleaning Wilt, but this time he wasn't entirely focused on the cleaning of the weapon. This time he was plagued by the wonderings of the innocent little girl with the red hood that was Ruby.

It wasn't until the unbearable sound of the Schnees' voice broke his musings did he look up again to see her dressed for bed and with a familiar scowl on her pale face. _It begins again, I see._ He thought wryly. But it seemed this time her ire was pointed towards Yang and Ruby because she didn't even glance at him. He was grateful.

"Do you two mind?!" Only a Schnee could yell quietly for maximum scolding. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"Guys," Ruby seemed to realize what sort of ruckus they were making. "She's right. Everyone is trying to sleep."

"Oh, now you're on my side?" Weiss demanded with hands planting themselves on her hips.

Adam only wondered if Schnee were just confrontational by nature with all peoples, rather than just Faunus. He wasn't sure how he felt about this but he was going to settle on mild disgust because amusement would be too good for the doings of a Schnee.

"I was always on your side!" Ruby defended.

"Yeah!" And now Yang was in on it. "What is your problem with my little sister?!"

The bull Faunus just easily slid Wilt back into Blush, set it down on the side and looked up at the spectacle that was unfolding. He gathered air into his lungs and then with the voice he'd often used to get rowdy recruits from loud and unorganized to straight and attentive he boomed. " _ **Enough**_!"

The effect was almost instant.

Yang and Ruby, along with the Schnee, heck, even a good portion of the hall that was still awake were all looking at him in surprise at the sheer authority behind the declaration. Adam swept over them once with his red eyes, a few actually flinched under the gaze before he settled said gaze back on the group of three girls. "I am going to go to sleep. I suggest," It wasn't really a suggestion, "You do the same."

Ruby nodded, looking almost relieved when Weiss just huffed and turned on her heel, apparently just glad to be able to sleep unhindered. Adam would have related but the idea of relating to a Schnee almost made him physically ill.

 _Adam._ Blake's voice scolded dryly, as if only half heartedly putting the effort in considering the context of his own bias was towards such a frosty bitch.

He didn't even take it back and instead let Yang and Ruby go back to their sleeping bags, they gave him a pair of brief parting words that he didn't return. Settling back against the wall, Adam leaned his head back and kept Wilt and Blush within easy reach before finally he let himself succumb to a light rest until the coming morning.

* * *

Adam learned a few new names while lurking in the locker room.

Lurking because he didn't really need anything from his locket because he'd kept Wilt and Blush at his side at all times, but he still was trying to learn how to handle non-violent Faunus-Human interactions.

On the airship ride, the mutual disinterest had originally been something he didn't know what to feel for. In the great hall last night he had been feeling something of a mix of anger, that disinterest seemed a type of malice, afterall, ignoring Faunus generally mean they wouldn't do anything to help them should the chance arise.

However on the opposite end of the spectrum, wasn't disinterest better than outright racism and scorn? Humans ignored each other as well and he acknowledged that. It was just difficult for him to wrap his head around the idea that those humans saw the Faunus as… just more people, even if that was it probably wasn't, Adam was still thinking deeply on it.

Or he had been until a certain blond haired boy by the name of Jaune Arc began to make attack runs against the Schnee heiress. Adam used "Attack Runs" because to call Jaunes' attempts "flirting" would be akin to calling an filled passenger airship crashing in the middle of Grimm infested territory a "slight problem". Extreme understatement.

But, it wasn't without fruit, he'd learned another name, apparently one important enough to cow even the Schnee into politeness. Pyrrha Nikos. Adam knew the name, but not the face. Her achievements were wide and he suspected that like himself she was extremely skilled.

He would freely admit he'd relish the chance to face her in combat.

"Adam!"

And there went his lurking. "Ruby." He returned her happy-to-see-you greeting his own polite-and-to-the-point one. It didn't deter her like he'd hoped. "You ready for the test?!"

He raised a brow and glanced behind her to see her sister, Yang, giving him a thumbs up as if to urge him to socialize with her sister. If he had to hazard a guess it had something to do with his overhearing them speaking that the girl had to break out of her social shell. Adam just had the bad luck to be the only other person who knew her.

"Not particularly." He was honest at least.

"Oh," Ruby actually deflated a little at that, looking confused. "How come?" And back she bounced.

"It's a test of initiation. I don't plan to excite myself and make mistakes out in the field that could possibly cost me my place here." Not entirely the truth, he just knew whatever test this place threw at him would be one he could accomplish easily enough so he needn't be excited nor worried.

She didn't need to know that though.

"That makes sense!" Ruby nodded, as if perfectly understanding his reasoning. "I can't help but be excited because this means I can stop all this social stuff my sister forces me to do!"

 _Doesn't seem that forced right now_. Adam thought idly.

She seemed to catch the back-handedness of her words and quickly spoke to try and clear any possible offense. "Not that I mind talking with you! You're cool and stuff! Plus you like weapons, or I think you do, I hope you do. And I am making this awkward, aren't I?" She trailed off and looked to the floor.

The bull Faunus was about to tell her she was extremely awkward but hearing Arc not only flirt with the Schnee over the rumors of "teams" and Nikos' saying it would be of four people, interesting facts to be sure, but Adam was more or less impressed by the sheer stupidity of the blond switching flirt targets while mid conversation.

It was so awkward he suddenly felt like he and Ruby were old friends chatting over beer by comparison. So that fuelled his response. "Could be worse." _Could be Jaune Arc awkward_. He thought.

Ruby seemed to brighten again and he was curious if she got emotional whiplash whenever she moved from sheepish to happy to awkward. As someone was used to Blake's own reserved nature, Ruby's expressiveness was… very new. "That's not bad, so I'll take it as good."

He shrugged his shoulders. He'd let her have her little victory. "A fine way to take it, I suppose." Adam said half-heartedly in this already half hearted conversation on his part.

It was then the intercom chose to save him from further attempts of Ruby trying to "break her shell". "Would all First Year students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation. Repeat, all First Year students report to initiation. Thank you." Click and it was off again.

"Well!" Adam and Ruby spoke at the same time, apparently both just as eager to stop the awkward socialization as the other. They stopped.

"…Initiation!" Ruby finally cheered, turned and with a quick goodbye was off. Yang in tow after said blonde gave him a grateful nod for apparently indulging her sister in her attempts at social interaction.

The bull Faunus followed at a nice distance. Passing Pyrrha Nikos as she finished pinning the blond bumbler to a pillar with her spear at the urging of the Schnee. And like that, Adam wanted to fight her even more because she seemed to be an ally of the frosted bitch. Bias or not he did not like her.

Though since this was a combat academy he imaged he'd get his shot to show up both Nikos and the Schnee so all he had to do was be patient and he'd put them in their place for certain. That had him smiling slightly.

He failed to notice that several other first years inched away from him upon seeing said smile.

* * *

 **End of chapter 2**

 _There it was! Chapter 2 and soon begins the initiation itself. How will Adam deal with trying to dumb down his own talents while not seeming like some OP warrior swordsman? I dunno! I haven't even begun to type that! But, if you're curious, than wait for the next chapter!_

 _And yes, with Adam about several things are going to be glossed over. We all know what everyone else is doing at this point in time and so I'mma focus on Adam and his thoughts on the events leading up the forming of RWBY, Beacon and it's faculty, classes. Eventually until the story starts building up and likely being altered by Adam's presence._


	3. Chapter 3: Initiation

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 3  
The Initiation**

* * *

As Adam plummeted through the air towards the initiation zone with an objective clear in mind. He considered his options for partners. The results were bleak. Of the choices he had among those he knew so far they were all less than ideal. Ruby was noisy, awkward. Her lack of socialization skills would be a blessing if not for the fact her sister was intent on breaking them. So she was a bust. Yang was even louder and would likely take ever opportunity to try and have him "warm up to her" in some vague attempt at his own shell breaking. Another bust. The Schnee might be an option if she wasn't a Schnee, they were both content to ignore each other and he imagined they could do so for four years. But he'd probably slit her throat within the first week if he was left alone with her at length. Total bust.

Pyrrha Nikos had talent to be sure, she seemed polite, even enough to indulge Arc in his failings. But her obvious siding with the Schnee made her a horrible option as well. So bust. That left Jaune Arc... And Adam would freely admit he'd probably just shove the blond down some stairs in the hopes he broke his neck and left Adam without a partner for the remainder of his time at Beacon.

 _Would the headmaster allow that?_ He thought to himself. If he was saddled with Arc in the end, he imagined the plan would become more real than he wanted to admit.

 _You miss Blake_. Came the thought.

Had she been here with him rather than a kingdom away she'd have made an ideal partner, reserved, knew his social cues for being left alone and he was comfortable around her. But no, he was stuck here scraping the bottom of the barrel so desperately he felt like he was back on the streets again.

The treetops were close enough and he curled his legs and grasped Wilt. He twisted mid flight and slipped through the foliage and with a flick of his arm he swung and speared the ground and slid along, kicking up dirt and using his sword as an break before he slid to a complete stop in the forest.

Standing tall, the bull Faunus rolled his neck and surveyed his lading site. Nothing but trees, brush and greenery and not a single sign of anyone else. _Good, that means I won't be picked just yet._ That thought comforting him he took to the trees and began to run and jump across the foliage with practiced, but not entirely graceful, movements. At the very least, he'd have less chance of being spotted both by Grimm and his fellow first years until he was confident in his choice of a partner.

He wasn't traveling for more than five minutes before he heard the sounds of small-arms fire echoing out nearby. Along with the screech of the Grimm that could only be a King Taijitu. Adam moved in the direction, keeping to the shadows and trees to creep along towards the fighting.

He'd arrived just in time to see a dark haired boy dressed in a mix of green and white fabrics going hand-to-fang with the beast. And he'd actually won not a few moments later with a mixture of Aura and martial arts techniques. _He's quiet, clearly skilled. But I know nothing of his personality_. Adam narrowed his eyes and shifted as he weighed the pros and cons.

The boy could have been like Blake in the personality department and while it was a shallow reason to choose a four year partner Adam wasn't exactly looking for depth in choice, just general quietness.

This choice was interrupted when some girl appeared from the trees, hanging upside down and poking the boy's nose. Adam blinked.

He'd just been partner stolen. But some girl who may or may not have had the same idea he did. The bull was understandably a little irritated at the loss, but not overly much as he turned and moved along again.

"Help!"

Adam paused, glancing around at the call. He listened closer.

"Someone! Help!"

That voice sounded… familiar.

"Heeeeelp! Oh come on…"

 _Oh, it's Jaune Arc._

Adam pinpointed the direction of the voice… and promptly moved the opposite direction at leisurely speeds to gather distance between himself and the blonde idiot, who had hopefully broken a leg upon impact and was now going to be Grimm food if his shouts of help were anything to go by.

He also incidentally missed crossing paths with the Schnee dragging Ruby Rose through the forest behind him, neither party in their own urge to be away from Arc noticed each other and so continued the initiation for Adam.

Roughly another ten minutes passed along by before Adam considered just skipping the partner phase and merely finding the temple ruins and retrieving the relic because finding anyone else in this haystack of a forest was clearly more time consuming than it needed to be.

"You _**monsters**_!"

Adam stopped short mid-step and paused as the sounds of what could only be Armageddon followed the roar of fury that had echoed across the forest. It was soon accompanied by the crackle of a crescendo of powerful blasts and wood splintering.

The bull Faunus briefly recalled the voice and he followed the sounds of carnage until he came upon a sight that actually both impressed and confused him.

Yang, the friendly blonde who seemed more eager to tease and have fun, stood over the bodies of two Ursa, both were very, very dead and dissolving into the black mist that all Grimm did upon death. One was decidedly more dead because it had clean been blown back through a tree and the trails of powerful flames following a skid mark in the ground also hinted it had been flung with extreme force.

The second just had a crushed skull.

Yang turned, apparently sensing his presence. Red glowing eyes met dull red ones and the pair stared in silence before Yang took a breathe and exhaled slowly, when she opened her eyes again they were back to their usual lilac and she placed her hands behind her hair and offered him a bright smile despite the scene of destruction around her.

"Guess we're partners!" She announced the obvious.

Adam glanced around. He had missed her display of power, but if this was the aftermath and she didn't seem an ounce winded? He supposed they were indeed partners then. She was strong and while she was exceedingly loud, if things had to get loud, Adam's primary method of combat anyway, it seemed she would do. "Seems so." He deadpanned.

Taking that as a sign of approval she marched on over and held out her hand, only then did he fully notice that her gauntlets had retreated and become bracelets. "Well then partner! My name is Yang Xiao Long!"

Adam raised a brow at the offered hand. "Adam Belladonna." He replied dryly. "A pleasure."

When he left her hanging she dropped her hand and just looked a bit annoyed at his rude gesture. But the shrug that followed told him she had actually been expecting something like this from him. "Well! This is going to be interesting."

"It seems so." He wouldn't exactly call it "interesting" as much as "Trying".

Yang either didn't catch his hidden meaning or chose to ignore because she simply flashed another smile, turned and began to walk. Apparently expecting Adam to follow.

And follow he did. Trailing behind her by a few feet, a respectable distance considering she was a human and he was more or less lost in his musings on his new _partner_ for the next four years of their schooling together. Adam wasn't sure if he should feel comforted by her easy acceptance of his reserved nature or suspicious.

And overall, the way she walked. It was a careless swagger, the overly showy sway of her hips. As if she was trying to distract him from the fact her arms were her deadliest weapons? Did she knew she did it and was doing so on purpose? Or was it just natural that she fall into such a careless appearance when out of combat? And what did that mean for her personality if so?

Questions he couldn't outright ask her without seeming rude or like he'd been observing closely for less than professional purposes. The bull Faunus merely looked back ahead as they continued their trek through the forest, the lull of their steps and nature around broken only by the sounds of gunfire in the distance to tell them the other students were also encountering their own difficulties.

The shrill cry of some distant student filled the air and Yang immediately jumped. "Some girl's in trouble!"

Adam only sighed. She didn't have the sharpest of ears, but Adam could tell that wasn't the voice of a girl but rather a really frightened blond he'd been eager to leave behind hanging in some tree for the Grimm.

Maybe the Grimm had gotten him? On the one hand, Adam didn't particularly care, one dead human among millions of others. But was that his personal bias? Or just ruthless cold heartedness? He wasn't sure which answer he liked. And he was sure Blake would be disappointed in either as well.

"Probably just spotted a spider or something." Irony aside, Adam and Yang continued on their trek. And sure enough, they stopped at an outcropping and spotted the remains of some… old temple? _Doesn't look much like a temple_.

"Seems more like a shack than a temple." Yang said, as if sensing his thoughts on the matter. "Still, knew we'd find it, partner!"

Adam winced, partner. Yang threw that word around like they were automatically best friends and it irked him more than it probably should have. "Just… Call me Adam."

"Right, _partner_!" Now she wasn't even trying to hide the fact she was trying to get on his nerves!

Rather than give her a very stern warning against testing his patience, he merely hopped off the ledge and landed on the ground below, moving towards the pedestals to see their relics. _Chess pieces?_ Adam thought, observing the golden and black pieces. Knight, Rook, Pawn, Bishop and King pieces… A few were already, namely the Bishop and Rook pieces. Oddly enough, neither color sported the Queen pieces.

Curious, but probably unimportant.

"I vote for the pony." Yang was suddenly beside him, pointing to one of the golden Knight pieces.

Adam honestly couldn't think of a thing he could less about right now. So he shrugged his confirmation and she gladly took hold of the piece. "Guess now we just gotta get back to the cliff." Yang reasoned.

"Then lets. We're already behind other students, I'd rather not be dead last." What? Adam had a competitive streak when it came to certain things.

She seemed to catch his own competitive words and nodded with a grin. "Now you're talking." She turned and took two steps before coming to a stop at the sight of a shadow in the sky. "…Uh, Adam." She reached over to tap his shoulder.

The bull Faunus was already looking up. Spotting the sight of Ruby coming down right for them. "I see her." He mumbled, about to step back and give her a clear crash zone…

Until Jaune Arc suddenly slammed into the red hooded girl and sent them both into a tree, several pained groans, thuds, branch snapping followed before both fell to the ground in heaps. Adam would never admit the sight was very amusing.

"That happened." He said, lips curling slightly into a small amused smirk.

The roar of an Ursa made Adam and Yang turn with stances ready for a fight. And sure enough one of the large beasts broke through the treeline, flailing? And soon it flopped over with a sizeable hole in it's back. Along with a passenger. It was the same girl who'd appeared from the tree and claimed his own first choice of a partner.

A moment later she was joined by said boy, who was panting and leaning against the corpse to catch his breathe. "Nora…" Adam barely caught his panted gasps from the distance. "Never do that agai- Nora?"

Adam and Yang both almost jumped out of their skin when they suddenly felt the presence of the girl, now Nora, behind them and grabbing onto one of the Rook pieces. "I'm queen of the castle!" She sang happily while toying with the piece in a manner that reminded the bull Faunus of a child with a new toy. "I'm queen of the castle!"

 _How on Remnant did she move so fast?_ Adam wanted to know. One moment she'd been by the Ursa, the next she was behind he and Yang choosing piece? That was some incredible speed. Adam had to admit, he was partially impressed. _Partially_.

What followed could only be likened to a skit from comedy show as Yang and Ruby had some sisterly reunion, which was interrupted by the Schnee dropping in, sadly not to her death because Jaune- _dust damned_ -Arc decided he wanted to be a hero and "save" her, cushioning her fall. And she wasn't even grateful! Then Pyrrha Nikos arrived with a Deathstalker in tow to add to the Nevermore turning to take another pass at them.

When Yang summed up their situation with a "Now we can all die together!" Adam could only assess the situation from his place and deemed that all the students bar himself suffered minor cases of insanity.

He would not be dissuaded from this notion for the days to come, he was sure.

That said he was eager to vent some of his frustrations on the Grimm currently advancing on their location. He raised Wilt and Blush, about to charge the Deathstalker until Ruby beat him to the punch by blurring forward to meet the large Grimm in mortal combat.

While everyone watched with shock as the large beast batted her aside like she was some fly. Adam was already on the move towards the red hooded girl, his legs carrying him swift across the field when the Nevermore screeched and began to rain down it's razor feathers down towards the retreating Ruby and skewer the poor girl.

A flash of white caught the edge of his eye before he jumped forward as that stinger flew forward with lethal intent!

* * *

Ruby Rose wasn't having a good initiation. Period.

She was convinced Weiss Schnee, her partner! Hated her and Ruby was well on her way to being miffed with her as well! She questioned everything Ruby suggest they do and act all perfect and prissy and blah! But that was beside the point for the little reaper because her current predicament could very well mean the end of her time as a Huntress in training.

Her cloak, a precious sign of her attachment to her mother, was pierced and caught by a feather and she was stuck as the Deathstalker approached. Eyeing her like a meal before it's stinger reared back and forward, coming down for her.

Ruby Rose, a young girl with dreams and aspirations of being an amazing Huntress one day, could only lament the fact she and Weiss weren't friends before her passing.

There was the sound of ice creaking and she felt there was suddenly a pair of people beside her. She opened her eyes and looked over, blinking at the sight that greeted her.

Adam, the only other person she knew at Beacon other than Jaune and her sister, and Weiss too, she supposed, was standing there, his legs curled and braced as his shoes dug into the ground. Above him, he had his weapon half drawn from it's sheath and was holding both up in defense.

The point of the stinger of the large Grimm pressed back against him while he stood there, rooted on the spot in his impressive show of strength.

Ruby looked over and saw Weiss was at her side as well, her rapier stabbed into the ground and the Deathstalker was covered in ice blocks, it's legs, body and claws stiffened from the layers of ice scattered across it's body.

White and Black stood up to the evil and held it back like true heroes of old.

Ruby could only come to one logical conclusion at the sight of it. _I have the coolest partner and friend ever!_ She would have squealed had Adam and Weiss' voices not broke her from her reverie.

"You idiot!" They spoke together in varying volumes. Weiss hissed and Adam grunted. But both scolded.

* * *

Adam furrowed his brows when he and the Schnee had the same idea for a scold towards Ruby, who looked both sorry and sheepish at the pair, but that was second concern to Adam's current disgust that he and a Schnee were, even for a second, of the same wavelength. _I feel… dirty_. He decided with a deeper frown.

Bias be damned he felt really, _really_ dirty.

"I'm sorry! I just… Wanted to prove to you I can do this, Weiss." Ruby stood and hefted her scythe up, giving the Schnee a downtrodden stare.

"Dying won't prove anything to me, you dunce!" Weiss snapped, before she took a breath and withdrew her rapier from the ground. "We're supposed to be partners. And that means communication. So before you charge in-"

 _Are… Are they doing this now? Right here?_ Adam thought, even as he felt the Deathstalker straining it's tail to try and dislodge his defense. Did they think the creature of Grimm would just wait for them to finish their moment before it decided to kill them? "Before you two get too deep into this," _Disgusting_. "Touching moment. We have Grimm to kill."

"No we don't," Ruby said with a sudden fire, apparently the Schnees' words having brought the girl to better spirits. "We don't need to waste time fighting these guys. We have our relics and we just need to get back to the cliff."

"She's right." Weiss nodded with a smile, apparently pleased that Ruby was showing a bit more maturity.

All fine and good, Adam guessed. But he really, really wanted to kill these Grimm because it would be therapeutic at this point because quite frankly he was surrounded by students were proving to be absolutely insane.

"Guys!" The voice of Jaune called over to them, Adam didn't even bother glancing back and stayed focused on the immediate threat. "That thing is circling back!" The Nevermore was on it's way back then? Well that could complicate matters. Adam wasn't so good at downing fliers.

"That settles it!" Ruby announced to them. "Grab your relics and we're move together back towards the cliff! Let's go!" She turned, rushing back towards the relic alters to grab her own with Weiss behind her.

The bull Faunus could only growl and shove the stinger back before turning and moving to catch up with the others, leaving the trapped Deathstalker hissing and snapping after them. He'd have to wait for his chance to unleash his desire to fight. _And with this lot, it's really only a matter of time than chance._ He thought with a lingering touch of eagerness.

He never once considered he had a violent personality.

As the others moved away from the temple ruins, he looked at Yang, who was giving Ruby a look that dripped with pride. Adam looked over, Ruby's cloak billowed in the breeze and the way the others moved at Ruby's orders. He was positive that Yang was seeing her sister growing into a real leader figure who would go far and live a bright, if dangerous, life.

Adam could only see a poor, naïve girl playing at leadership with a bunch of kids who were barely able to understand what they truly wanted from the life they were almost casually risking like it was just another day at school.

"Let's move." The bull Faunus said as he stepped forward and after the others. Yang was soon behind them as they made the mad dash towards the cliffs where a most epic battle could be fought across bridges and against the darkness of the creatures of Grimm!

* * *

"Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Adam Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long," Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon smiled to the four assembled before him. "Together, you four retrieved the White Knight pieces."

Adam suddenly understood the significance of the pieces. Because it apparently determined the four man teams.

"Henceforth, you shall be team RWBY. Led by…" Ozpin looked to Ruby and smiled. "Ruby Rose."

And again, together with the Schnee, both thought the very same word at almost the same volume while Yang was busy trying to suffocate her sibling with a bear hug.

 _ **What?!**_

Adam brought a hand to his face to cover his scowl and massaged his temples and found himself thinking a thought he thought he would avoid for the third day in a row but so far it appeared that it was only logical at this point that Blake was at the heart of this current headache and thus, to the sounds of applause and praise from Ozpin and the gather students the bull Faunus could only think.

 _Damn you, Blake._

"Led by Jaune Arc."

…Say what?

* * *

 **End of chapter 3**

 _Yeah, I skipped the Nevermore and Deathstalker fight because now you can all wonder and be in horrible loss at the fact you will never know what transpired on that bridge! Muwahaha, but no, really. I just couldn't think of a way to write the fight and so instead of being hung up on said fight, I decided to skip it and let you all use your imagination._

 _Oh, and the odd references here and there when the team reminisces about it. Yeah, anyways! Thanks to those who have reviewed, followed and fav'd! Thanks! Each new addition to the stats brings a smile to my face and fuels my writing! Until next chapter, peoples._

 _Take care and have a nice day/night!_


	4. Chapter 4: Settling In

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 4  
Settling In**

* * *

The bed that the bull Faunus slept on was very soft, very comfortable and the covers were freshly washed. It was by all intents and purposes a perfect place for a student to sleep comfortably and securely in their new dorm so that they could adjust to their surroundings and teammates. And after the naming of the teams and such things, the newly dubbed team RWBY had quickly fallen asleep after claiming their beds.

Adam was decidedly miserable. Just miserable.

To his left was the Schnee, sleeping in her expensive nightgown that was, in the pale moon's light, almost entirely see through and it only served to highlight her figure in some unnatural glow due to the sheer paleness of her skin and hair. The glow, while beautiful to some, only served to be a miniature flashbang to his Faunus eyes and so she served as a sort of semi-night light. He hated the light.

And to his right was the loud and boisterous partner that was Yang Xiao Long, whose own sleeping pattern seemed to be a mixture of rolling over, causing his senses to fly into a frenzy that "strangers" were nearby and it made him instantly alert. But since she wasn't a danger it only served to keep him awake all the longer into the night! It didn't help this would probably be his plight with all of them for the next few days until his body accepted their presence.

Until then he was stuck in some listless state of "drowsy" and "borderline psychotic sleep rage".

In short, Adam's first night at Beacon and as part of RWBY was going bad enough he didn't even have it in him to damn Blake with a thought.

That said he was also learning an invaluable amount of little details on his new team by just listening to them sleep. Creepy as that is, he had nothing else to do while his body tried to adjust itself to their presences.

For instance, the damnable Schnee had a small habit of curling her toes in her sleep just before she would shift to get comfortable again, it was a subtle shifting of the blanket covering her but he was certain she was curling them. Was such a detail important? Dust no. But it was something of note.

Yang also had a tell that was more amusing than interesting. She would snore whenever she slept on her back, it wasn't an obnoxiously loud snoring, but it was noticeable if you, like Adam, listened in the dead of night without sleep.

He couldn't see Ruby since she was blocked by Weiss, but from the sounds of it the girl spoke in her sleep. Mostly incoherent mumbles and sounds, but Adam pieced a few words together that sounded an awful lot like mom, cookies and he wasn't sure if she said "Twinkies" or "Twerk". But Adam didn't know what either was so he shoved it from his mind.

It was about three in the morning and not catching a wink of sleep did Adam finally find himself snapping and just sitting up in the bed with the quietest of growls. He glanced left, the Schnee was facing her back to him. To his right, Yang was snoring on her back.

He couldn't sleep like this so he'd do something about it. He moved towards the bathroom, and quiet as a mouse, he slid into it and closed the door behind himself.

All was silent from then on.

* * *

Yang Xiao Long was the first up, by her accounts anyway! And when she awoke at some six something in the morning, she was greeted to the sight of her partner's empty bed and when she saw his scroll still on said bed she grew curious.

She rose from her bed, pulling the covers back and scanning the room. No sign of him, but she did see the bathroom door closed and the light was off. It was past curfew as well, so she doubted he was off exploring at the hour.

Muffling a yawn she stood and moved over, glancing at her sleeping younger sister, whom was the leader of this fine team. Yang couldn't be more proud and excited for her. It would only help her break out of her anti-social shell all the faster! With a smile, she turned and continued towards the bathroom.

She took the knob and slowly and _very_ carefully opened it to peer inside.

Adam was in the bathtub, one leg pulled to his chest, his arms crossed atop his knee and forehead resting on said arms like a makeshift pillow. His shoulders fell and dropped slowly, he was sound asleep and Yang couldn't help but feel it was almost sad how he couldn't sleep in his bed for some reason she couldn't fathom.

She'd need to ask about it when he was awake but for now decided it was best to leave him alone and let him get his rest for another few minutes.

She decided to grab some spare clothing for her morning shower, humming a tune while she did so. Turning to her briefcase, she opened it and reached inside and retrieved her clothes. Satisfied, she stood and turned to go wake Adam.

She met with him staring down at her with those red eyes, glowing in the lowly lit morning light as the sun hadn't yet begun to peak out to show it's light. His expression was blank, his brows were furrowed and the way his eyes glowed slightly in the dark, casting an eerie red glow and way his horns stood out among his red locks.

Any other time she'd might've said he was devilishly handsome.

Right now? He was terrifying.

So terrifying in fact that Yang Xiao Long gasped and punched him in the face.

* * *

Adam had been awoken from his dreamless slumber by the softest of hinge creaks as the door to the bathroom opened, slow as it had been it was enough for his Faunus hearing pick it up and alert him enough that his senses kicked into overdrive to determine if the sound was a one off thing or a real attempt at infiltration. When the door opened enough to let the closed air of the bathroom out and mix with the warmer air of the other room, the sudden temperature rise was enough to rouse the bull fully.

He opened his eyes and turned his head, seeing the door click closed as whoever had peered in at him decided to leave him be. He listened to the footfalls, muffled as they were against the room's rug, he could make a guess that it was too heavy to be Ruby, the Schnee also seemed a bit on the bony side so it likely wasn't her.

That left Yang. If his boisterous _partner_ was awake, he decided he should be as well. A brief yawn and he rose soundlessly from the bathtub, he rolled his shoulders and after a brief moment to ensure the soreness of his odd sleeping position wouldn't linger he opened the door, still quiet as a mouse on a mission, to see Yang shuffling through her briefcase.

She was probably going to use the shower, if Adam had to guess.

He approached moved along, towards his own briefcase to her back on his bed. He should be ready to start showering too if she was because, while he wasn't sexist, he knew hairs like hers probably took awhile to care for.

Not sexist at all.

He was about to reach his own case when he felt her turning, and he automatically turned to face her because having someone at his back wasn't an entirely comfortable experience since they were all still strangers to him.

Waking crimson met startled lilac and silence reigned for a heartbeat.

Yang gasped and her fist was suddenly coming up to knock him a new eye. Adam's own instincts quickly reacted and his own hands became a blur of motion. One batted her fist away, the other reached over, grasping the yellow tank-top she wore at the strap and when the batting hand's fingers curled around her offending wrist, he dug his feet in and with a grunt of effort lifted the woman up and over.

He brought her down onto his bed and briefcase. _Adam, try to remember the basics of CQC_. Blake's voice reminded him with some age old wisdom like tone.

"What is going on?!" Weiss suddenly yelled from her bed, sitting up and giving the pair a narrowed eyed and sleepy glare. Before blinking at seeing the position they were.

Adam too became aware of this must have looked. Yang on his bed, one hand pinned above her, her tank top hiked upwards because of his throw and him hovering over her while holding said tank top and pinning said hand.

It didn't help that Yang gasped.

"What're you doing to her!?" Weiss demanded, face red from either anger or embarrassment Adam didn't know nor care. "You two aren't rutting animals for Dust sakes!" She added, huffing derisively at Adam and he could almost hear the "one of you, anyway".

The bull Faunus merely glared, before he released Yang and stepped back. "I startled Yang, she threw a punch." He explained as Ruby rose up from her own bed, looking less distressed and more like she was just now roused from sleep by the Schnees' loud as Grimm voice. "So I threw Yang." Adam finished explaining.

Weiss didn't look like she bought a lick of it. But then Adam didn't care, nor did he particularly care if she viewed him as less than favorable. Yang on the other hand sat up, blinking before giving Weiss a frown. "Hey! It's true, he got the jump on me,"

"Helpful," Adam deadpanned at her choice of wording.

Yang continued anyways. "And I tried to punch him, then he threw me onto bed. Nice throw, by the way." She gave him a thumbs up, apparently completely over the fact he'd thrown her at all.

"…You're not angry?" Adam himself would have been furious, in fact he was a little angry right now over the fact she'd tried to punch him. It was understandable, sure. But understandable doesn't mean he'd allow it.

"Why would I be? You didn't hurt me, and I threw the first punch…" She tapped her chin. "The only punch, actually," A shrug before she fixed her tank top and stood from his bed and punched him in the shoulder, enough to make him move but not enough to actually be threatening. "Just a word of warning, if you ripped my favorite sleeping shirt, I will ruin you." She winked and grabbed her clothes. "First shower is mine!"

"Yang no!" Ruby, who had been only just waking up, was suddenly wide awake and diving for her sister, who laughed and slammed the door just as Ruby slammed into it. A groan and a comical sound of flesh sliding against glass before she flopped onto the floor with despair. "She's going to be in there for an hour!" She whined.

 _So I was right._ Adam thought to himself, crossing his arms and sighing. But, at the least this provided an opportunity. "Since we apparently have an hour," He didn't doubt Ruby's words, because who would know Yang better than her actual sister? "We should perhaps discuss the topic of room arrangements?"

Ruby was up and giving him a confused look. "Arrangements? Whadya mean?"

"I think he means the fact we practically brush knees when we sit in our beds." Weiss said, apparently catching his meaning. "I actually agree in this instance. We have very little leg room and we've still yet to actually unpack."

"We'd have more room if you didn't insist on bringing half your families' wardrobe and enough dust to fuel a school wide battle, Schnee" Adam couldn't stop the remark if he wanted to.

Weiss glared. "Excuse me? I'm agreeing with you and you just verbally attack me?"

"Guys!" Ruby stomped her foot, crossing her arms and doing her best to look like a crossed leader. This was ruined by the fact she was the shortest on the team and dressed in a broken heart tank top and pink pants with whole hearts dabbled across them. "No fighting! We're a team now!"

Adam grunted. "Very well."

Weiss looked like she wanted to speak more, but instead bit her lip and muttered a "fine" and threw the covers off herself. "But the point stands, we should do something about the sleeping arrangements. Now that the room is ours, we can change it how we want."

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked, hesitant.

"Yes, I read the agreement." Weiss declared proudly, crossing her arms. "Didn't you read it?"

Ruby looked sheepish and that was all the answer Weiss needed to give her a glare and groan into her hand. Mumbling about dunces and idiots and headaches for days.

Adam hadn't read it either but he wasn't about to mention it. "What can we do then?" The beds were cumbersome and with four of them, plus four dressers, the room was cramped. Quite so.

The redhooded leader tapped her chin as she considered their options. Adam too considered them, personally he'd toss the Schnee's bed out the window and that would open room up plenty, he'd think. But before he could sink deeply into this fantasy Ruby announced something he honestly would never have considered.

"We're going to make the beds into bunk beds!" She threw a fist into the air.

Adam, along with Weiss, gave Ruby looks that could only beg the question of "Are you serious?" followed no doubt by "You mustn't be serious".

When Ruby didn't receive any positive, or negative! Answers. She went on! "Good, we can have a vote on it too! Our first official mission as team RWBY!" She pumped her fist, truly excited and it would have been cute had Adam found the current topic as dumb as watching moss on a rock. "All in favor say aye! And those against say nay! Aye!"

"Nay." Weiss deadpanned.

Adam was torn. On the one hand, making bunk beds from scratch with their current beds seemed entirely dangerous and could backfire in so many ways it would be akin to planning a disaster but never specifying the trigger for said disaster. On the other, to disagree would mean agreeing with a Schnee.

What was life if you agreed with a Schnee?

"…" Adam looked at Ruby, she was so hopeful and her innocent eyes urged him to say aye. He glanced at Weiss, and her glare ordered him to say nay.

"Aye." _Get bent, Schnee_.

"Yes!" Ruby turned and knocked on the bathroom door. "Yang!" She called over the sound of the shower.

"Cleaning the mane, Rubes!" Yang's muffled yell came through the door.

"We're making bunk beds, you want top or bottom?!"

"Sweet! And top! I want top bunk!"

Adam wasn't sure if he should feel worried that Yang just so casually accepted the explanation of "we're making bunk beds" and even seemed to fully agree with it. He also wasn't sure if he wanted her on top. "Don't I get a say in who gets top and bottom?"

"You were already on top if what I saw meant anything," The Schnee sneered.

Adam raised a brow and gave her a look. "I fail to see what's so insulting about insinuating that I was about to have sex with someone as attractive as Yang." He deadpanned, even as Ruby's face flushed and she covered her ears while muttering "yuck!".

"It's indecent and we're sharing a room!"

"Right! Bunk bed making, now! No need to delve further into my sister's love life!" Ruby announced, pushing Adam towards he and Yang's beds with surprising strength. "Weiss! I'm going to need some nails, rope and a few spare curtains!"

"Where on Remnant would I even get rope?!"

"Yang has some in her briefcase, just look around a bit. I'm sure she won't mind!" Ruby replied with an easy smile.

Adam and Weiss shared a look, he saw pity in her eyes as if he and Yang's apparently sordid relationship was now the most horrible thing that could happen to him. And his eyes held only the question of why on Remnant would Yang have rope and nails of all things!

But, it wasn't long after the rope, nails and hammer, Adam again didn't question he just assumed that Yang had some weird fetishes and left it at that, that team RWB set upon their task with gusto! Well, Ruby had gusto, Weiss had resigned indignation and Adam was just resigned.

* * *

 **One hour and thirty-seven minutes later…**

Ruby, Weiss and Adam observed their work.

Ruby was smiling widely, holding her hands to her chest like her heart threatened to burst out from sheer excitement at their accomplishment as a team. Weiss' face was blank bar the eyebrow twitching on the left side of her face and the way her icy blues shone with disbelief. Adam was just blank, no twitching brows… In fact his smirk seemed quite pleased at the turn out.

On the left side of the room you had Ruby's bed hanging down via a number of ropes that went up and around large hanging nails from the ceiling and wall. Circled around it were a series of red curtains to act as a veil between the room and her "space", a personal touch of hers she claimed. It hung there, swaying sometimes and the nails would creak in just such a way that threatened ruin to any aboard and below the bed framed guillotine.

Adam would admit it was a beautiful sight.

Below that was the Schnees' bed, plain as ever bar the fact the frame's legs had been expertly remove in favor of letting it rest on the floor properly, same as Ruby's own bed, the legs had gone to his efforts to make a suitable bunk bed for he and Yang. It also helped that should Ruby actually fall, nothing would be able to protect the Schnee.

And the way her brow was twitching. She knew it too.

Adam's own efforts were rather simple, but effective. Using the newly acquired legs from the other two beds, he used them, along with some quick carpentry skills, to actually form four longer posts that would support Yang's bed above him. Some extra rope also went into forming a full two sets of curtains that he could draw back and forth to hide the rest of the room from view.

Ruby suggested it so that when she and the other girls had to change, he needn't rush away to the bathroom or leave the room when they did, and it would give him privacy at night too! Adam had agreed and taken the suggestion, then made it real.

"This… looks incredibly dangerous." Weiss said, looking at the hanging bed of Ruby.

"You mean incredibly awesome!" Ruby countered with a grin.

"It certainly saved space," Adam semi-agreed with them both. It was dangerous, for the Schnee, and that was always "awesome" and it _did_ saved space.

The bathroom door opened and Yang stepped out in her school uniform, nice and clean and ready to face the day. "Ahh! Good shower." She paused, seeing their work. "Awesome!" She gave them a thumbs up. "I knew you three could do it! Love the hanging bed, sis."

"See? Told you it was artsy."

 _Art of execution, more like_. Adam thought, almost chuckling at the sight of the pale Schnee flushing with annoyance. "Ruby, for this idea, you can shower next." He added, seeing the Schnee go for her clothing, likely intent to shower the stress away.

That simply couldn't be allowed.

"Really? Thanks, Adam!" Ruby smiled and grabbed her own clothing, then zipped off into the bathroom, door closing.

Weiss huffed and threw her clothes on her bed and sat down, looking ready to throw something. "Great, now I'm left with the perverts."

"Weissy! Don't be like that," Yang seemed to give him a look that said "Let me handle this". Adam just let her do as she wished. "I'm sure one day, you'll fill out enough that you'll have men willing to forsake decency and throw you into bed right there amidst your teammates too!"

The anger was real in the Schnee.

Adam fed off like fine cuisine. _At the least, my new_ … team _makes for interesting company_. He thought, seeing Yang give him a thumbs up, he merely snorted and turned to his dresser to retrieve his own clothing and hide his own victorious smirk.

* * *

 **End of chapter 4**

 _There it is! Chapter 4, Settled in, RWBY's shenanigans continue as Adam adapts to his strange teammates, and the fact he and Weiss share more attitude traits than anyone of the others. And the loss of sanity! WHAT SANITY?! But nah, thanks for those who reviewed, fav and followed! You're all glorious people. Honestly didn't expect this story to take off like this, I'm glad it did!_

 _Have a good day or night and take care until the next chapter!_


	5. Chapter 5: First Lessons

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 5  
First Lessons**

* * *

Adam couldn't believe what he was seeing.

He was currently in class, various other first year students seat as neatly as they could be with their teammates who shared their classes as well around the "stage" at the other end of the room where the Professor was currently telling them all of his adventures involving a particularly powerful Alpha Beowulf, that he'd apparently wrestled to death since losing his weapon during the struggle.

And all the students looked absolutely _bored_.

Adam was at a complete loss as to how they could be bored when Peter "The Bloody Baron" Port was right there! Adam wasn't born into a middle class family, he was born dirt poor and had to struggle just to survive and even he knew of that man now lecturing them.

The stories of the Bloody Baron were as famous, or infamous depending on your standing with the law, as most legends. The man had single handedly thwarted Grimm invasions of whole villages during his youth, fought off Nevermore alphas and had rumoured to have tangled with every sort of Grimm in existence at least once.

His achievements were enough to warrant the man Adam's respect and that was no easy feat.

 _And yet these foolish children are treating him as nothing more a bring nuisance._ The bull Faunus thought with a displeased frown. Only he, the Schnee and Nikos appeared to paying any real attention and he could only think Schnee and Nikos were doing it out of politeness rather than real respect.

The man culminated his speech and pounded his chest. "Now! Who here feels they embody these traits?"

Adam certainly didn't embody honor, but he was brave and cunning so he felt that made up for a bit. When Weiss thrust her up into the air, the bull almost smirked. It seemed Ruby's appointment to leader of the team was really getting to her because she seemed eager to show her talents.

It would make for a delicious defeat on the Schnee's part if she went into a fight as emotional as she was.

"You got this, Weiss!" Ruby was instantly shouting her encouragement for her partner, which Adam knew was just irking the Schnee all the more.

"Yeah! You got this!" Yang cheered as well, throwing a fist into the air.

After several moments of silence, they both turned their gazes onto Adam, who sat back with his arms crossed and glanced between them. "…What?" He demanded with a frown.

"You're not cheering!" Ruby replied, looking disappointed. "Show support for fellow member of team RWBY!"

"Yeah, partner." Yang gave him a grin and a thumbs up.

Adam just stared at the like they had just told him to put on a dress and bust some "sick" moves in front of a crowd. He merely cocked a brow at the pair before looking at the heiress, who was getting ready to face the Grimm inside the cage, Slamming against the bars so hard Adam could hear the hinges groaning. The bull could do something with this. He sighed. "Very well."

The sounds made it obvious was a Boarbatusk.

"Hey, Weiss." The Schnee turned to him, brows furrowed. "Watch out."

Not a second later, the door was knocked clear off the cage and flew towards the Schnee, who quickly, BARELY dodged the flying piece of metal that lodged itself into the wall behind her. She raised her rapier and thrust forward to do battle with the beast!

Adam stopped paying attention after she dodged the flying door and instead focused on his scroll to type down a few notes about the story. If Adam had to guess, Port was only boring because his tale had been told and they expected it had come from him in his prime. But Adam knew better, he knew the man had fought that Beowulf at the age of sixteen.

These kids clearly didn't understand who was taking time out of their valuable life to teach them.

He had been so uncaring for the class that he only looked up when the Schnee finally snapped at Ruby. And the moment of anger had been all it took for her to lose her weapon. Adam snorted, only an amateur would lose their weapon during a fight and as Weiss was proving, she was hardly that deserving of her apparent boasting of her skills.

In the end, Weiss defeated the Grimm with minimal, sadly, injury and stormed out of the class room without so much as a glance at her teammate. Ruby looking worriedly after her before announcing she was going after her, then did so and left Yang and Adam alone.

"What's eating her?" Yang asked, crossing her arms. She herself wasn't too off put by miss icy, but when someone made Ruby sad she hopped to it.

Adam was surprised Yang didn't see it. "Schnee feels…" insulted. "Slighted that Ruby was chosen as leader of the team instead of her." He explained as the students moved out of the class. Yang and Adam mixing in with them easily.

Yang snorted. "Is that all? A little entitled princess, huh?"

Adam agreed. "She is. Thought admittedly, I do doubt the choice of leadership too."

"Why?" Yang's question was notably more serious, ready to defend her sister.

"Because from what I've seen, she's fast on her feet and skilled as a combatant, but I've yet to see anything resembling leadership skills from her." Adam raised a hand to stop the retort before it could come. "But, it's only been a few days I've known her so unlike the Schnee, I reserve judgement." For now, he still wasn't impressed.

Yangs' lilac eyes searched his for any lie and he knew it was a lost cause to inform her she'd have any luck reading him. Finally she nodded, "Alright. Just don't be too rough on her. She's still learning, like the rest of us."

Adam stared at Yang. _I stopped learning a year or so ago, by all rights I'm as much as Huntsman as the professors here._ He thought, before nodding to humor her. "Right, come on. Let's get to class. I refuse to be late for this one."

"Uh, why?" His blonde partner asked from beside him. "It's just history."

"History with Bartholomew Oobleck." He responded tersely.

"…Who?"

Adam groaned. Didn't these students know anything? _Anything_ at all?! How did they not know about Bartholomew "The Flare" Oobleck? The man who not only invented Dust infused coffee that acted both as fuel for a flamethrower while still being drinkable and acting with enough energy to restore mental clarity without the increased heart rate of caffeine.

The man was a genius when it came to flammable materials and dust infusion. And he was teaching History in Beacon Academy!

The bull Faunus felt the inkling of excitement, the man was also Human, but that was to be expected, much of Beacon's staff was human bar Professor Peach, who remained locked up in her lab until the final class.

He could only wonder what the fox Faunus was doing in there. She wasn't known as the "Inventive Vixen" for nothing. Racist as the name was, it was also well earned.

They reached the doors to the next class and stepped inside to begin.

* * *

Lunch arrived and sure enough, there was obvious tension at the table. Weiss had avoided Ruby all through their second class, going as far as to sit beside Adam. And Ruby was still looking down as ever over said ignoring.

Adam enjoyed the silence but it ended when JNPR arrived and sat down beside them. Nora proceeded to talk at volumes so loud that by the time she finished her story about the Ursa pelts and how she and Ren made a boat load of Lien that he was sure the entire cafeteria had heard as well.

"It was amazing." Nora said again with a wistful smile.

Her team's dry "We know, Nora." came again soon after.

Adam just impaled another piece of his diced apple onto his fork and shoved it into his mouth and tried to will the table to fall back into silence again so he could resume enjoying it. But since it seemed JNPR was more than able to make up for the loss of chatting from the RWY portion of his own team he doubted he'd get said silence.

He briefly got lost in his thoughts about he and Blakes' betrayal. It had been spur of the moment but very little involving he and Blake were that, but that was the basis of their relationship as mentor and student, surprisingly it was an effective system for them but when she announced she was planning to leave… and she wanted him to go with her.

The bull Faunus had been surprised by the sign of trust, but he'd still been ready to kill her for that act of betrayal. Having owed her that much since their time together he had allowed her to explain before passing judgement on her.

She told him that their mutual goal had been skewed by his own hatred, that he wasn't leading a revolution and after ten minutes of his silence where her life held in the balance of his decision… He agreed with her. They needed to escape and the upcoming operation against the Schnee Dust Company would be the perfect cover for said escape. So they had.

Looking back on the last few days of his life, meeting Ruby and Yang, spending time with JNPR and being surrounded by teenager eager to learn the trade and help the world…

Adam half wished he'd simply cut off Blake's head and just stayed back with the White Fang, but he supposed this was still rewarding in it's own way. Somehow… Maybe. He'd reserve judgement.

There was a sudden cry and Adam's eyes moved over a few tables down.

A Faunus, a rabbit Faunus was leaning over with a look of pain on her face while pleading with a team of Humans who were jeering and laughing while their larger friend held onto one of her ears, laughing all the more loudly, regardless of her pleas or sounds of pain.

"Please stop!"

" _Are those horns real_?" A cruel voice laughed.

"What a freak."

" _They are, hah! Freak_." Another laugh.

His fists clenched and he grit his teeth, even as the others commented about the "atrociousness" or "difficulty" of being a Faunus. Adam sent each of them a glare so fierce Yang looked at if he struck her. "Not a one of you has any idea. Even now you sit here and comment," he hissed and stood. Refusing to be part of their inaction.

"Adam!" Ruby and Yang called, but he ignored them.

The bull advanced, eyeing the four humans with a scowl until he was right there and reaching up and taking hold of the leaders wrist. "Unhand the ear, _human_." He hissed to the surprised human.

The surprise on the larger male's face lasted only a second before it turned into anger. "Or what, freak?" He sneered, about to squeeze the woman's ear when Adam's snarled and squeezed just a bit tighter.

 _ **Crack!**_

Just a _teensy bit_ tighter. The boy released the Faunus' ear and stepped back, cradling his now very fractured wrist while Adam flexed his fingers with a dark smirk that reached his eyes. "Stand aside," He grabbed the rabbit's elbow and tugged her back while stepping forward and bringing his fist right into the Mohawk boys' face with a crunch.

"Cardin! Russel!" One of them yelled while the other brandished a fork and rushed Adam, who turned on his heel and kicked him across the gut onto the table, scattering food and drink across it and it's occupants.

The fourth lunged, taking Adam onto the next table and delivered a right hook that Adam full on head butted with his horn. The sound of bones snapping from the fingers and the boy's cries only gave Adam al the more satisfaction. He took the boy's shoulders and tossed him to the side with a shout.

Adam only heard "Food fight!" before the cafeteria descended into madness.

* * *

"I am very disappointed in you all." Glynda Goodwitch said as she paced before a room full of students, all of which were the ones nursing "minor" injuries.

Adam himself had a black eye and was bruised on his shoulder along with his knuckles. Beside him was Yang, looking like she'd just had a night on the town's fightclub, Ruby and Weiss hadn't joined on the ensuing food fight but when it descended into it Yang had leapt in to ensure his back was covered.

Of the some forty something seats in the room, all were occupied as Goodwitch continued to scold each of them for the misconduct they'd showed along with the fact that they injured some of their fellow students enough that they were being treated by professor Peach in the infirmary.

Adam was just pleased that all of team CRDL were among those other students.

"I gotta say, partner," Yang whispered from beside him with a grin. "I don't think I've seen anyone wield a food tray like that before."

Adam had to admit, of all the improvised weapons he could have grabbed the food tray had been so random he might not have believed it himself. "Nor have I seen anyone manage to knock someone out with a pair of turkey legs."

"Next time I'll use the full birds."

He didn't doubt her. "Sounds like you had fun, at least."

She giggled. "I saw that grin on your face, you did too."

Adam didn't stop the feral grin from tugging at his lips. "Only a little." Fighting so… freely had been therapeutic. It helped that half the people who came at him were a bunch of bigoted fools who thought that they would teach him, a lowly Faunus, his place.

He'd in turn showed them all the places their bones could be dislocated and broken with the right amount of force. Minor injuries for Huntsmen in training with Aura healing, just a few painkillers and a good nights rest and they'll be fine come the next morning. Due to the brawl, the next class with Goodwitch was being put on hold in favor of a detention class.

Honestly if given the choice to do it all again he would have made the exact same choices. _Well, I would have also gone for the fork on my off hand, but this was a learning experience_. He thought idly while slightly marvelling at the durability of Beacon's food trays. One would almost wonder if they went out of their way to ensure the trays could double as both shield and weapon.

He couldn't decide if he liked that or not.

"Mr. Belladonna, are you paying attention?" Goodwitch demanded.

Adam responded simply. "Yes, miss Goodwitch, I am. And I'll say again, they were bullies and racist. Also, the next student to snicker when I say bullies I will personally give them a very in depth show of just how I broke Mr. Winchester's shoulder!" He snarled and the room fell quiet around him.

Goodwitch just adjusted her glasses. "How violent." She muttered.

"I love it." Yang laughed.

Adam sighed. _Damn you, Blake_.

* * *

 **End of chapter 5**

 _There it is, chapter five! And yes, I moved some events ahead because let's face it, the first day of Beacon has to be exciting, and Adam made it just that by inciting a smaller scale food fight slash brawl! Now, thank you to all those who favorited, reviewed and followed. I enjoy seeing those numbers go up. (I'm a terrible person, I know.)._

 _But yes, Adam's misadventures in Beacon continue._


	6. Chapter 6: Truth, Daring and Training

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 6  
Truth, Daring and Training**

* * *

A week had come and gone for Adam and team RWBY. And in that week the bull Faunus had fallen into a comfortable routine, attend classes, eat lunch with team while speaking the bare minimum for conversations sake, and socialize as little as possible outside of RWBY and occasionally JNPR, who had become fast friends with the RW and Y of RWBY.

Naturally this would come to full realization as Adam, Ruby and Yang and JNP.

Weiss and Ren had both stepped out to study for the upcoming test from professor Peach for her class, so that left them evened out and that was the reason Adam was even seated on the floor in a red tank top, leaning against a bed and crossing his arms over his chest and looking very displeased at the girl seated across from him.

Said girl was one Pyrrha Nikos.

The Invincible Woman, the Prodigy of Mistral, Champion and Amazon. She had so many titles that Adam was honestly unsure if she was really was as humble as she appeared to be or just playing the part to sucker more fans into believing she was a paragon of society like she was made up to be.

Even now she was smiling under the warning glare of his crimson eyes. Eyes that would unsettle anyone else in her position she sat proper and not a bit put off. Finally, when she didn't look away or say "pass" he closed his eyes.

 _Damnit._ Was the single thought before Adam relented. "Truth." He muttered the word as if it were some curse.

He'd been getting by this little game by giving everyone a firm look that said if they didn't pass over him it would be a messy night and so far Ruby, Jaune and even Yang had passed him under prolonged exposure to the glare.

Only Nora and now Pyrrha had resisted. Adam expected Nora only did because she was mentally incapable of feeling fear when Ren wasn't around because the two seemed to be joined at the hip.

Said boys' "Don't go too wild" warning to her before leaving the dorm hadn't helped to dissuade this thought from Adam either.

Pyrrhas' smile widened and she nodded. "Very well," He knew from the very tone of her voice that she had a question planned well in advance. "Where did you train?"

And there it was! The digging into his past because he'd been avoiding the topic all together. While his teammates had been smart enough to avoid pressing the matter, or even broaching it really, it seemed his own question of "Who trained you?" against her in a previous round had come back to haunt him.

Ironic.

He took a moment to figure a response. Outright lying would be easier since there would be no way to confirm or deny his story and they had to accept it at face value, the truth itself would almost certainly be too fantastical and "edgy" as Blake would say. Who would believe him if he said he had been trained by a woman in red who could create wormholes with her sword?

 _Not many_ , he decided.

"I was trained outside the kingdoms, so it's not someone you'll know." Adam began his answer, inkling it with truth. "She taught me to use a sword, fed me as well. Treated my like some adopted kid, but that was just until my training was done and she set off again." It was vague, but it was as much truth as he was willing to divulge to them.

The redhead accepted the answer and smiled. "I see."

Looking around, it seemed Ruby and Yang were also pleased at the brief, if vague, insight into his background. Adam was more than a little annoyed because the look Pyrrha was giving gave off the impression she was _proud_ that he shared that much with them at all.

And Adam hated pleasing smug humans.

The game continued well into the night and it was only after an hour that Ren and Weiss returned did the final "round" come into play that Adam took a real interest when it was he who had a ask a truth of his team leader, Ruby Rose. He could have followed the advice of the sign Yang was holding up that said "First crush?" or Nora's own "Pancakes or Cookies?".

But that would be as stupid as the people holding them. So, he instead asked a more profound question.

"Why did you really want to become a Huntress?" He doubted he's receive a real answer, but he had to know. Since she and Weiss' make up some days back, Ruby had poured everything into studying when she previously didn't.

The silver eyed girl appeared thoughtful, honestly contemplating the question with a seriousness he'd never seen since the initiation and when it seemed she reached her answer she just smiled at him. "I want to become a huntress that my mom could be proud of and help all the peoples of Remnant! Human _and_ Faunus!"

Adam, whose life had been scarred time and time again by Human cruelty and malice couldn't comprehend this answer on that night some time ago and even now it boggled him how one little girl could have motives so impossible, so unattainable yet seem so eager to face that difficult path ahead.

 _Is this the hope that Blake cradled in her heart when she joined me in the White Fang_? He wondered to himself as he stared at the red reaper, who was being hugged to death by her older sister who declared her pride for the youngers' response. Even as the game ended, the teams bid each other night and Adam gave his half hearted goodbye and they returned to their dorm was he still stuck on the answer Ruby had given him.

As he lay in bed that night, staring up at the bed above him while replaying Rubys' response over and over again did he finally have a final question for himself before he succumbed to sleep.

 _Could this little girl really have such hope in so dark a world?_

He didn't have the answer, he probably never would too. But Adam was willing to at least believe her for the remainder of these next four years. He sent his report to Blake, who replied with her own and after an exchange of goodnights and well wishes he fell asleep.

* * *

"Freezerburn!" Ruby cried as she jumped from the large Ursa Major, who roared and tried to pursue it's target. Only to receive a Glyph accelerated Yang Xiao Long to the chest and the flaming punch that accompanied said blonde. It was send flying back through a pair of trees and skid to a death halt.

Adam twisted his blade in his hold and spun on his heel, slicing the Beowulf that had "snuck" up behind him clean from right shoulder to left hip. He knew it had been there for awhile, but he'd waited until the last moment to react to give off the "last second instinct" feeling of the others, who reacted only when danger was about to happen, as opposed to just sensing the monsters.

The body dissolved and Adam flicked his blade as if cleaning it of blood and he glanced over to see Weiss dispatch a pair of the creatures with a precise series of thrusts with her rapier. He frowned and flicked Blush into Rifle mode.

A moment to aim before he fired and struck down the Beowulf that lunged at her flank. Weiss turned, looked at the dissolving wolf and over to him, rather surprised that he'd aided her.

He didn't even nod before turning and cutting across the waist of another wolf himself.

That was when the ground shook beneath them and RWBY stopped, looking around. Adam glanced left, then right. Another series of rumbles… before they became smaller, faster. Something big was coming and it was coming fast.

"I've got ten lien on it being a Deathstalker." Yang said, grinning as she reloaded her Ember Celica.

"Please," Weiss dismissed standing back closer to her three teammates as they tightened their formation. "Could be an Ursa. In fact, I'm putting ten lien on that." She sniffed, checking her Dust reserves.

"I wanna say… Lots of Beowulves!" Rubys' magazine clattered onto the ground and she loaded another.

Adam listened, closing his eyes and just… Focusing. He picked the direction out and stared, trees fell and the rumblings grew closer. Finally, he said. "A Major Taijitu." He deadpanned and sheathed Wilt back into Blush with a click.

Before they could question his statement the treeline exploded and there it was, the large, fast moving form of the Major Taijitu. Unlike the regular variant, this one's bone plating took addition form of "ribs and spine" along it's entire body and had two additional "horns" on the tops of its' brows.

It hissed out and it's dark head snapped forward, maw agape to swallow whatever it could from the team. "Scatter!"

RWBY obeyed and the four split off, letting the head slam into the ground. Adam however watched as the White Head swung forward and towards him, it's own jaw opened. He narrowed his eyes and readied to summon his semblance, if he couldn't dodge he had to kill it, despite showcasing his true power.

"Freezerburn!" Ruby ordered, pointing to the Black head of the Grimm.

Yang and Weiss jumped into action, eager to engage their stunned foe as it dug it's head from the ground and snarled. Lunging to meet them head on.

A glyph appeared beneath his feet, offering him a platform which he quickly used to propel himself upwards into the air and narrowly dodging the head. He didn't glance again to know it had been the Schnee who aided him. He stared down at the slithering body of the Grimm beneath him.

"Red Bull!" Ruby shouted as she sped forward, her scythe unfolding and she hefted it up as she became a blur of crimson that slid beneath the exposed neck of the snake and then she shot upwards to "hook" her scythe blade down onto the throat of the massive beast.

Adam curled his fingers around Wilt's handle smirked in time with Ruby as they pulled the respective triggers of their weapons. A pair of powerful gunshots propelled them into their attacks as Ruby cut upwards, carving black scales and red flesh while Adam sheared white bone and met her half way through the monster.

Their blades clashed, creating a shower of sparks that accompanied the shower of blood around them as they passed each other on their ways up and down.

Adam landed, the head of the Grimm not far behind him, exhaling what remained of it's last breath. He slowly slid Wilt back into Blush and with a click! Ruby landed beside him, her scythe supported on her shoulder and when he turned his head to give her a look, she gave him a thumbs up.

The bull Faunus just chuckled and stood.

Across from their own battle, the other head was defeated, Yang, using Weiss' Time Acceleration to beat the snakes armored skull into a pulp and allow the Schnee to finish it with a piercing stop that no doubt skewered it's brain. Both heads dissolved and so too did the body.

Team RWBY stood victorious.

"Oh yeah!" Ruby pumped her fist. "Who's bad? We're bad! Team RWBY is the best!"

Yang joined in, punching Adam in the shoulder and wrapping an arm around Weiss' shoulder, much to the heiress' chagrin, but Adam saw that small, pleased smile on pale lips all the same. Ruby stood forward and proclaimed "Champions of Beacon for all time!".

He chuckled and shook his head. These were still low level Grimm and hardly anything to write home about, but even he couldn't bring himself to tell them that and crush the energy they were parading around with at the moment, it just wouldn't feel right. "I suppose we are good for something." He said, his own two cents into the celebration.

"Right! Next time, we gotta work more on our pairing attacks! Yang, you and Adam are perfect! Weiss, perfect work with Yang, Adam, you too! But! Tomorrow, we work on Flame Charge and Schneedam!"

" _What_?" Adam and Weiss stared at Ruby, ignoring the fact they again spoke at the same time and said the same thing.

"Schneedam! It's what I'm calling your pairing attack." Ruby announced, nodding as if the very name didn't sound utterly ridiculous. And it did, it really, really did.

"…Yeaaaah." Weiss began, crossing her arms to match Adams' own stance beside her.

"No." Said bull finished with a frown. Before Ruby could ask why he continued, to clarify. "We can work together, but why Schneedam?" That was the real question here, why did their _pairing_ attack name sound so… silly?

"Uh, because it combines your two names and it rolls off the tongue?" His leader replied as if were obvious.

It really didn't help the pair understand. "…It doesn't." Weiss frowned. "It sounds stupid and forced."

"I hate to agree with the Schnee," Adam ignored the indignant "hey!" in favor of further explaining. "But it does sound dumb. Seriously, the others I can see, but Schneedam?"

Seeing Ruby begin to pout, before finally an idea seemed to strike her because she grinned shortly after. "Well! In that case, you and Weiss!" She tapped Adam on the chest with that same grin. "Have an assignment for the rest of the day! You two must come up with a good pairing attack name for yourselves! I expect it by tomorrow."

Before either part of the pairing could protest Ruby turned and rushed off, waving over her shoulder as she rushed back towards Beacon, calling out over her shoulder with a "Good luck and I know you two can do it!"

Yang, snickering the whole argument, finally broke into gut wrenching laughter at the expressions Weiss and, even if he wasn't aware he'd been wearing one, his own before she too followed after Ruby,

Left behind, Adam sighed and looked to Weiss, who stared back at him. They didn't speak, blink nor move. They just stood there in silence before they nodded in a mutual agreement that this could wait until much later, much, _much_ later. For now they were hungry from training and so they moved to catch up with their teammates.

They remained silent with one another the entire walk.

* * *

 **End of chapter 6**

 _There it is, Chapter 6! And wow did it take awhile, that said, I have a reason! The Finale of RWBY Volume 3. I just, I cannot. It was so intense! So insane! I loved it. And hated it. And loved it again._

 _I'm sure you can all understand why if you've seen it, so I won't say much for those of you who didn't, but if you haven't, go do so! Now! Wait! Review, fav and follow_ THEN _go see it!_

 _Thank you, have a nice day/night_


	7. Chapter 7: Secrets

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 7  
Secrets**

* * *

 _This is truly the most pathetic display of fighting ability I've ever seen. Ever. Of all time._

"This is the part where you lose." Cardin sneered to Jaune across from him while their weapons were locked. Cardin looks more like he was just trying to keep from outright pushing Jaune over, and the blonde in question looked like he was trying to shove a freight train over.

"Over my dead-"

There was sort of crunch that had even Adam wincing as Jaune doubled over onto the floor. The bull palmed his face as the rest of the crowd laugh, cheered, winced or in RWY and NPR's case looked saddened the blonde had been so readily defeated.

"I don't see why you're all surprised." Adam deadpanned from his place, looking at the gathered friends and teammates with a frown. "It's been four weeks and we've not seen a single improvement in his combat prowess. That block he got was the best performance to date."

Was it harsh? Maybe. But it was also sadly true by all of Adams' observations and as the match was called by Goodwitch, again in Cardins' favor! The others offered Jaune various sentiments of comfort as the blonde idiot rejoined their ranks and plopped down defeatedly beside his partner.

"We have time for one more sparring match, any volunteers?"

Half the class raised their hands, eager for a bout and a chance to show off their skills. Adam raised his own hand, he also pointedly ignored how some of the closer students lowered their own when his came up. Needless to say he had a bit of a reputation in the sparring ring of Goodwitchs' class.

"Mr. Belladonna," Goodwitch nodded for him to enter the sparring ring before looking over the now noticeably smaller group with their hands still raised. She blinked. Hadn't there been twelve hands raised before?

Now there were like four.

"Mr. Reed, what about you?" She addressed the usually quiet boy with a single bang over his right eye. He blinked, staring at her, before looking to Adam. Then back to Goodwitch. "…"

The silence dragged on for a good minute before Glynda slowly frowned. "Oh-kay then." She ticked him off. "Mr. Jackal, what about you?"

The student in question, a rather burly, muscle bound great hammer wielder who looked four years too old and far too scarred to pass as a student took one look at Adam before he dove off the side of the stands and ran for the door yelling about things he needed to do before running through said doors, leaving them swinging on their hinges.

The class was silent.

Goodwitch sighed. "For the love of… Anyone else?" She asked. No one raised their hands and she looked to Adam apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Belladonna, seems class for today is ov-"

"I'll do it!"

Everyone in the room turned to see none other than Yang Xiao Long standing up and giving the cockiest grin they've likely ever seen. "I'll take the bull by the horns." She ignored how everyone groans and facepalms, even Adams' own growl of annoyance before hopping down from the stands and onto the ring grounds as she just pretty much strolled over to the ring.

"Very well, inter-team sparring isn't a usual practice but since no one else is willing to step into the ring with Mr. Belladonna, then I will allow it." She tapped her scroll and stepped back, glancing over the two. "You're both aware of the conditions. So no need to repeat. Begin when ready."

Adam rolled his shoulders and gave her a once over. "I don't appreciate the bull comment." He deadpanned, gripping Wilt and Blush in his left hand.

She grinned. "Still love me?"

"I'm going to love the victory I earn today."

The class "Ooooh"d around them.

Yang cocked her hands and unfolded her shotguns, raising her fists and parting her stance. Playful lilac eyes sharpened just a touch in focus. She took a breath and then jumped forward while rearing her fist back for a right hook.

The bull Faunus stepped forward and angled Wilt and Blush upwards. The fist closed in and he fired! With a crack Wilt shot upwards and into the incoming fist with enough force to direct it upwards, at the same time the sword was knocked back into the waiting sheath and he twisted off his foot, using the brief opening to plant a kick into her unprotected side.

The blonde was sent sailing through the air where she flipped landed on her boots, skidding back before throwing her arms back with a smirk and firing off her gauntlets, propelling herself forward for another charge. "Not bad!"

Adam jumped forward and drew Wilt. He'd show her "not bad", he intercepted her mid flight and the sparks of metal filled the air as he swung Wilt, cutting across the metal of her right gauntlet as the passed each other. He landed with a roll onto his knees, turning back around to see Yang firing off some of those long range shells.

Wilt flashed through the air, two crimson arcs cutting across the pair of shells, scattering them harmlessly while he stood again and raising Blush, a flip the sheath and it became the short range rifle. He aimed and fired, forcing Yang to roll right the jump side to side to avoid the incoming rounds while moving back in.

She closed to four feet and he lowered Blush while swinging Wilt into her left gauntlet as it fired, scattering the close range shells and throwing her aim off with his surprising strength. She didn't relent however and instead let the thrown off angle carry her into a twist that brought her right elbow across his cheek, snapping his head to the side before she delivered a left hook to his exposed side.

His aura crackled and he was flung back into the protective shield wall with a crash. Where he landed and slumped, head hanging briefly. The overhead screen showed his Aura reserves still in the green, so he wasn't out. "That all you got, bull boy?" Yang called, cocking her spent shells free.

Adam chuckled, lifting his head and gazing back at her with glowing red eyes, his lips twisted into a pleased smirk. "Funny," He stood back onto his feet and rolling his shoulders as if she'd given him a nice massage rather than a shotgun powered left hook. "I was about to ask you that very same question."

He raised Wilt and Blush, sheathing the sword and crouching. Giving her an eager smirk. "Now then, you going to stand there looking pretty, or are you going to actually give me a fight?"

Yangs' eyes flashed red before she laughed and brought her fists up. "Oh boy, keep talking big. I'm going to enjoy wiping that smug smirk off your face."

Adam smirked wider, before jumping forward and Yang rushed ahead to meet him head on. They clashed! The room shook and the students didn't once look away from the display.

* * *

Team RWBY, along with the other students, were exiting Goodwitchs' class, Yang and Adam both looking like they're just run a marathon, rolled in the dirt, then fought with brass knuckles for a finisher. Adam slicked back hair was loose in some strands, one of his horns was actually chipped at the tip, he had a bruise forming on his right cheek and his jacket was singed and torn in some places. His collar was also ruffled from when Yang had gripped him by it and punched him straight in the face.

Yang on the other hand was covered in small nicks from his sword, her sand colored jacket was mostly ripped at the shoulders, but the yellow shirt beneath was split, flashing just a touch more skin than intended, but she didn't mind because if it was choose between a cut shirt or another from that sharp as hell blade? Shirt every time. Her gauntlets were also scratched up from blocking and she'd spent a good amount of shells. Her jackets buttons were also popped since Adam had tossed her into the shielding when he got a good hold on her.

All things considered the pair looked like hell itself had fought them and they came out on top. Both looked pleased, almost glowing…

It was until Weiss spoke up that the pair didn't realize how pleased they looked. "You two look like you're basking in some after glow usually reserved for intimate private affairs." She huffed, rolling her icy blues. "Ruffians."

"What can I say?" Yang grinned. "A good fight can be just as good as a good tumble in the hay," she nudged Adams' side. "Amirite?"

The bull Faunus just rolled his shoulders and gave Yang a raised brow. "…No comment." But yes, he did rather enjoy the way that Yang could take whatever punishment he could give and attempt to give it back just as readily. What had become a spar turned into a down and dirty brawl. And the way she was favouring her left leg told him she was still feeling the aches and pains despite Aura.

Yes, he could agree that fight had been just as good as sex.

So, content in existence and body pleasantly aching, Adam attended his next few classes far more relaxed than he had been in days.

* * *

It was as the day began to wind down when classes were done that he spotted an odd sight. Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc, moving through the halls. The blond being dragged along by the redhead and this made Adam raise his brow before allowing his curiosity to be sated and following quietly after them. _Where could they be going at this time of night?_ He wondered idly.

He followed them to an stairway that lead to the roof. He stopped at the door, quieted down and began to listen.

"-didn't go to Combat school! I didn't earn my place at this academy!" Jaunes' voice, muffled by distance and the door.

Adam blinked and frowned. _Ah, that explains why Arc is so inept as a combatant, he snuck his way into Beacon_. He almost snorted and began to listen in again. Learning that the idiot wanted to be a hero, like his grandfather before him, all huntsmen. And the more he listened the more Adam wanted to palm his face and growl at the stupidity. _He expected to just come to Beacon, no research? No studying? Not even a few months to swing a sword and learn to_ wield _it?_

How stupid was this kid?

He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer but it was becoming apparent this idiot needed a lesson. He stood and opened the door, stepping out onto the room to the surprised faces of both Pyrrha and Jaune.

Adam eyed them. "Nice evening, huh?" He drawled.

They tried to recover, Pyrrha even trying to smile her best at him. "Evening, Adam." She greeted. "It's.. A lovely evening."

"Y-Yeah," Jaune nodded, trying to aid in the performance.

"Yes, so lovely, I was almost willing to forget hearing about how some blond _idiot_ snuck his way into Beacon." And he dropped the bomb and their faces fell so hard it was almost satisfying to see the infallible Pyrrha Nikos in such a state. But Jaunes' own horror struck one was almost as good.

Adam realized he might be a terrible person and he was okay with this.

"Don't bother denying it, I got curious and followed you two up here. I heard everything I need to," He glanced to the side, before back at Jaune. "A hero, really? You thought you could just stroll into Beacon Academy, the best of the best come here from across the four kingdoms. They go through training, years of it, and you just thought you could blend in without an ounce of studying or training?" He demanded.

Pyrrha stepped forward to defend her leader and friend. "He did it-"

"Stupidly!" Adam snarled and stopped her right in her place with his glare. "He came here without a clue, did he even have his Aura unlocked prior? Or was that when you saved him from a fall that would have killed him?"

They were both silent and the bull sneered.

"Amazing." He looked back to the crestfallen Jaune. "I should report you, dust knows I want to since you've all but trampled on the hard work and reputation of this academy by sneaking in here. Because you took up a slot, some other student, more deserving than you, didn't." Adam went on. "And now, here you are, spurning the aid of the one woman in this whole academy who is offering her help and you refuse because of some foolish notion that you need to be able to do this alone?"

"Face it, boy." Adam hissed. "If you don't accept help now, all you'll be is expelled for poor performance or die during the more on hands expeditions against the Grimm." The pair flinched, and he frowned further. The boy was so useless, so pathetic!

And Adam hated how he reminded him of his past.

* * *

 _And he was suddenly a child again, no less than eleven and small. Wielding a small, rusted knife threateningly at who would become his mentor. He glared._ "Give me your food!" _He demanded, raising the knife even as he shook from the cold, Atlesian night. The rags covering his body barely serving to offer warmth._

 _The woman just stared at him. Her impressive sword at her side, sheathed. In her right hand was a bag of food, freshly bought that he could smell the meats and buns. Her red eyes stared unblinkingly at him._ "Take them, child." _She deadpanned_.

 _Adam hissed, and with teeth chattering from the cold and not fear, he rushed forward. Going to try and cut her side, if he could make her drop her food he could get it and feed himself-_

 _A line of crimson cut across the air and his knife blade fell to the ground, cleanly sliced. He stepped back and looked at his shoulder, the fabric split apart and a clean line of red appeared on his pale, malnourished skin. He cried out as he bled, clutching his shoulder while the woman flicked her sword to the side and sheathed it again._

"Is that all the effort your survival is worth, boy?" _The womans' voice echoed in the cold city night as she approached, her boots crunching the snow beneath them as she stood there, above his shaking and bleeding form._ "Well?"

 _Adam looked at his bloodied hand, clenching it and then jumping forward, swinging his fist for her face, jumping up to do so. His trouble earned him the butt of her sword into his gut, forcing him back and into the snow, emptying what contents remained in his stomach onto the snow covered alley ground with a retch._

"What do you want, boy?"

"I want food! I need it!" _He had tears in his eyes from the pain and humiliation_.

"That'll only last you the night, at best. What do you really need?"

"What?" _Adam looked up at her, glaring, matted brown hair clinging to his forehead_.

"What do you need to survive in this world, boy. I won't ask again." _The woman deadpanned_.

"I need…" _Adam thought, closing his eyes._ "I need… I want to be strong. I want to be able to fight! I need to be able to do that. To fight!" _His eyes glowed, his Aura flaring as his resolve hardened_. "I need _power_."

 _The woman was silent for several moments before she nodded, seemingly satisfied_. "Gather yourself up then, boy. I will give you the power to take your fate into your control. And we will see if you are worthy anything really."

 _Adam stared at her back… Before too stood, his cut was healing…He'd unlocked his Aura. The bull Faunus slowly, cautious ambled after the woman._

 _And into his new life._

* * *

"You're a fool, Arc." Adam muttered, staring at Jaune. "But if you've got the resolve to actually become a hero. Then we'll see if you're even worth the effort of that." He turned away, glancing back at them. "Meet me in Forever Fall tomorrow after classes. Bring your weapons."

"W-What?" Jaune asked, him and Pyrrha both surprised. "Why?"

"Because if you're going to become a Huntsman, you need to learn to wield that thing and to kill Grimm. We're going to kill two birds with one stone from here and on until you've impressed me, Arc."

"You're going to train him?" Pyrrha stepped forward, frowning. "No offense, Adam but you don't seem the best type to-"

"You would coddle him. Tell him "he's improving" and make corrections. A tactic that would work were he a child, but not now. He needs to hit the ground running and roll right or break a leg. You're welcome to come of course, if only to escort him so he doesn't die in transit." Adam snorted. "And Jaune, spurning my help isn't an option. You don't come. I'll simply inform Goodwitch of your secret and you'll be expelled."

"Now get going, both of you. I need to deal with something else." Seeing his glare, neither argued, though Pyrrha glared at him for harsh demands and treatment. He just accepted the consequences. Softness… kindness? No room for those in training to become a fighter of evil.

Once the pair were gone. Adam stood there, before growling. "Winchester. I hope you're not listening like a common sneak."

The boy in question appeared from over the edge of the roof, climbing up and looking rather smug. "So, Arc sneaks in and you're just gonna help him? Him and Nikos? That's pretty bad." He sneered.

"And?" Adam raised a brow.

"And," Cardin continued, unperturbed by Adams' nonchalance. "if I told Goodwitch, that could mean trouble for all three of you. That is, unless-"

He didn't get further until Adam grabbed him by the scruff of his uniform and lifted him up and over the edge of the roof. "Are you trying to black mail me, Winchester?" Adam growled lowly. "Let me tell you something, as a boy. Humans would have me do tricks for food, just to survive I was forced to perform like some circus animal."

Adam held tightly, glancing down the several story fall. "Now here I am, holding your life in a hand and the fact I haven't dropped you is a testament to my patience. I _hate_ Humans and make no mistake, Mr. Winchester. I hate you, you're a bully. A coward and if I had any say in the matter you'd be paste on the ground." He slacked his hold a bit, making the boy grab onto his arm in desperation.

"I don't care for Arc, he's a disgrace. I don't care for Nikos either, she's high and mighty and so perfect it sickens me. But they're still worth more than you. So if you get either of them expelled then no force on Remnant will save you from my very real, very threatening wrath."

"Am I clear, Mr. Winchester?"

"Y-Yeah! Just… pull me back onto the roof!" Cardin was tossed onto the roof and he looked at Adam, eyes terrified. "You're crazy!"

"Just very forward. Now return to your dorm, forget everything about Jaune Arc, and just remember my words." Adam stepped past the Human, who flinched as he passed. "Have a good night." And Adam went back inside and returned to the RWBY dorm.

He was immediately assaulted by Ruby, who was clinging to his neck and hanging behind him, hiding from Yang and Weiss. Who were holding up a menagerie of hair care products. "Come on sis, just gotta see works!"

Weiss nodded. "Your hair could use a bit of work too." She said.

"Save me." Ruby squeaked to Adam.

The bull Faunus sighed. _Damn you, Blake_. And it was going so well!

* * *

 **End of chapter 7**

 _There's chapter 7 and boy was I stumped more than Yang at the end of Vol 3 for what to do with it! Part of me wanted to skip to the whole dock White Fang thing, but then I had a neat little idea for Jaunes' teacher. So, here is the result! Also some fiery tension between Yang and Adam for reasons involving said volume._

 _Hope it was fun to read, now, would you kindly leave a review? I do so love them._


	8. Chapter 8: Sappy Endings

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 8  
Sappy Endings**

* * *

"Nora, No!"

 _Sluuuuurp_.

Another explosive sigh. "Nora, _stop_ doing _that_."

Adam was fairly sure he'd never heard the usually impassive Lie Ren sound so otherwise annoyed, even as the Hammer wielding member of JNPR slurped down another full jar of Forever Fall tree sap. Raw, straight from the tree.

Whole. Jars. Worth. _All_ slurped down into the abyss that was Nora Valkyries' stomach.

"But it's so goooood!" Nora whined when Ren took the jar from her hands with a miffed glare that warned her not to take more of the sap from the jar collection. He'd already had to refill that same jar twice by Adams' count.

"…Do you think she knows that the sap has slight hallucinogenic properties when ingested without being properly processed?" Weiss asked, holding her own tree sap jar well out of sight of Nora.

"Probably not." Adam deadpanned from beside her, his own jar filled and held in his right arm while Wilt and Blush were held in his left hand.

When Nora pointed to a rock and yelled, "Ren! Look! Real sloths! And they're riding turtles!" with the excitement to match any child, all of team RWBY blinked.

"But I think she's learning." The bull Faunus immediately added onto his previous statement while Nora ran off to try and capture the "congo line of sloths who ride turtles" with Ren in exasperated tow. "…I almost pity him."

"Yeah," Yang agreed, suddenly beside him along with Ruby. Their own jars having been filled as well it seemed. "Poor guy."

"You think they're an Item?" Weiss wondered.

"Does it matter?" Adam retorted, both to spite the Schnee and to actually confirm if it did.

"No, not really," Yang shrugged. "It's just… They're always together, it has to at least make you curious, right?" She glanced to her fellows for their thoughts.

"…Again, does that really matter if they are? How is it any of our business?" The red haired Faunus asked again. "They could be, or they simply have a very close friendship. Either way, it doesn't directly involve us so should we really discuss this?" Honestly, what were they? School girl-

Oh, right. He sighed.

"Well, I mean, what's a little gossip?" Yang grinned, even Weiss seemed to agree, so long as it wasn't harmful.

It was Ruby who supported him. "He's right, it really isn't our business if they are or not! We should just focus on our own things! Like handing these in to miss Goodwitch!" She announced, holding up the jar that she had filled. It seemed all of RWBY had filled their jars. However, Adam had other obligations at the moment.

"You all go on ahead." RWBYs' redheaded swordsman said with a wave. "I'm going to find Pyrrha and Jaune. Check on them." He explained.

"Right!" Ruby nodded, smiling. "Tell them to hurry!"

Adam nodded and turned to head into the forest. He already knew where Jaune and Pyrrha would be of course, since they'd planned this ahead when they heard about the trip to Forever Fall. So he proceeded towards the meeting point while thinking about his own addition to the plan to ensure Arc had at least a bit more training under his belt, since he knew Pyrrha was also giving Jaune some training sessions between he and Adams'. It would be a good idea to pace the poor boy to be sure.

But Adam didn't believe in pacing when it came to life or death.

He found them in the smaller clearing, she and Jaune were waiting. Pyrrha looking a little vindictive since the way he'd acquired Jaunes' "apprenticeship" was rather dirty but he merely nodded to her in greeting before looking at said blonde, who snapped to attention upon said look when Adam had made it clear he expected it. "Jaune. Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." The blonde muttered, no doubt still bruised from the other nights' training session that they had on the roof, since they didn't bother going to the Emerald Forest due to this trip. "So, what's it today?"

Adam smiled and he saw them both tense at the curling of those lips. "Today, Jaune, you're going to get a crash course on fighting while outnumbered."

"…What?" Jaune blinked, looking between him and Pyrrha. "Wait, you two?!"

"Haha, no, we'd destroy you." Adam deadpanned without an ounce of humor. Jaune winced and Pyrrha outright scowled, but didn't dispute this little statement. "No, I've taken the liberty of getting some… _Assistants_."

The bull Faunus closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing on various negative thoughts and memories, anger and disappointment, sadness and rejection all bubbled to the foremost of his thoughts as he dug within his experiences to then. His aura focused… and then he grunted, sending out a small pulse of that negativity.

He opened his eyes and Pyrrha looked at him like he'd gone insane. "Why did you do that?!" She demanded, aghast.

"What did he do?" Jaune looked concerned now, absently raising his weapons.

Adam took this time to explain. "I focused my negativity into my aura and sent out a wide pulse, it's a useful technique for luring Grimm to your location. And the more negative the emotions, the more Grimm will react and home in on your position." That dark smirk returned. "And I'm a _very_ negative person."

"We don't know what Grimm could be attracted! You've put us in serious dang-" Pyrrha stopped when the howl of a Beowulf echoed across the forest. Making the pair of students paused while Adam just chuckled. "How can you be laughing?!"

"Easily." Adam stepped back and glanced around, staying silent. "Wolves, simple enough opponents. Nikos, we are not to interfere with this. Jaune is going to fight and kill these wolves himself."

Jaune looked horrified and Pyrrha was torn between that same horror and pure anger. "He's not that far along yet! He can't do this!"

"He'll have to learn."

"He could _die_!"

"We all could die. But he certainly will before any of us if he doesn't learn to fight for survival."

"I won't allow it."

"I'm _not_ asking."

Pyrrha was about to speak again when the wolves burst from the treeline, attracted by the burst of negativity that Adam had unleashed. She reached for Milo and Akuo… But that was when Adams' arm circled her waist as he was suddenly at her side, before she could think to move he lifted her along and jumped up into a tree, where he pinned her by the shoulder against the trunk.

She glared into his eyes… and was rendered speechless by what she saw in them.

In those crimson she saw so much hurt and rage, such focused hate and judgement that she was frozen under their intensity. Almost if a physical weight was being pressed down onto her body as those vivid emotions swirled into the red pools. But for all that inner chaos it was so contained, so fine tuned that it was like a blade ready to strike.

Pyrrha Nikos glimpsed into the soul of Adam Taurus and she was terrified.

" _What_ are you?" She whispered.

Adam didn't seem phased, in fact that was unsurprising. He was so filled with chaos that he probably didn't react to anything on the surface. He was as cold as ice. "Keep a secret?" He whispered right back. "I'm a _monster_ now trying to make up for monstrous acts. Because someone whom I love made me see that I don't have to be the monster."

That explanation given, Adam released her and stepped back, turning to the clearing where the wolves began to circle Jaune, who stood with his shield and sword raised. Adam crossed his arms over his chest and stared, narrowing his eyes. "Now, Jaune. It's time you learned that fighting for your life can show yourself things that you'd never think possible."

The amazon pushed away from the tree… and hesitantly stood next to the bull. "He should help him." She sounded more reserved now, still rather shaken by the things she'd seen in Adams' eyes.

"This has to be his fight. If we help, he will never learn,"

"…Did you learn this way?"

Adam actually grinned, but it was anything by amused. "No. My training was worse."

Before their conversation could continue the Beowulves lunged at the blonde and the fight was truly underway.

* * *

Jaune couldn't believe what was happening! One moment Adam was going to train him, the next he and Pyrrha were arguing over something about Grimm attracting and then Adam had stolen Pyrrha before he could even call for her and now he was surrounded by a pack of seven, no, wait. Eight!? Eight Beowulves!

And they looked very hungry!

"Pyrrha! Adam!" Jaune called once more… Before that set off the wolves and the first two lunged for him, roaring their hunger.

Jaune did the first thing he learned to do after training a few days with Adam. He rolled to dodge! Curling his body and all but throwing himself to the side as those claws scantly missed his side as the beasts continued, he barely got to his feet when another snapped at him with its jaws and damn well nearly took his face off if he hadn't staggered back and fallen onto his backside with a grunt.

The snappy wolf snarled and swung it's clawed hand out and Jaune raised his shield to barely defend, the claws scraping across the metal of his family crest with a show of sparks… before he was flung backwards from the force of the blow itself. He groaned and caught a shadow over him before he rolled as fast as he could before the wolf pinned and mauled him.

He got to his feet and glanced left, wolves. Right? Wolves. Everywhere was wolves and no sign of Adam or Pyrrha.

He was on his own. For real. Against Grimm.

 _I'm so dead!_ He thought, yelling in fear as he stepped back and almost lost his footing to fall again, but catching himself and raising his shield to take another strike from those lethal intended claws. He could feel his blood pumping with fear and adrenaline. Jaune gasped and rolled again as another wolf snapped at his side, narrowly avoiding those deadly jaws. _I'm going to die here_!

"Fight!" Adams' voice echoed out. "Fight to survive, Arc! Or die like a novice!"

Jaune actually hissed. "Easier said than done!" Before raising his sword as another wolf jumped at him. It was a high jump… And Jaune fell back, letting that wolf fly over him, before he swung his blade and cut across its' stomach with a spray of crimson as the blade of Crocea Mors pierced flesh like butter and severed the beowulves' waist in two.

Its halves hit the ground and began to form black mist. The blonde got back to his feet and felt his heart going a mile a minute as he stared at his kill. He'd always had Pyrrha or Adam weaken the Grimm he fought, normally by cutting off a leg or an arm. But he'd never really fought a full Grimm before.

He was about to feel proud. But then he was cut across the side and were it not for his aura he'd have been shredded badly! He groaned, rolling onto his back and as the wolf leaned down to take him into it's jaws he thrust his arm forward and spear the point of his sword through the roof of its' mouth and out the back of its head.

It gurgled once then went slack, collapsing to the side and allowing the Arc to get back up. He shouted a war cry and moved to try this offence thing!

Jaune Arc became a whirlwind of slashing, shielding and rolling in such a manner that anyone who played Dust Souls would be proud for his use of rolling and shielding at the right moments.

* * *

Adam and Pyrrha approached Jaune, who was laying on the grass, panting like he'd run all the marathons and around him were the scattered dissolving remains of the Grimm he'd slain. It had been a tough fifteen minutes but the Arc has slew them all of his own power, well… Mostly, it was just a drawn out dance of dodge, slash, dodge and rinsing and repeating until success.

Not all that fun to watch but it worked.

"You alive, Arc?" Adam said from above the panting boy.

"Screw… You." Jaune panted out, cracking his eyes open and glaring at Adam, before looking to Pyrrha who kneeled down and began to help him up. "I could've died!"

"But you didn't." Adam wasn't the least bit sorry for what he'd done and he made it obvious with the shrug he offered the Arc. "You instead fought and won. I'd say that's a mile stone in itself. If a little slow and sloppy." At the glare from Arc and Nikos, he added. "Don't look at me like that. I'm only speaking the truth."

Pyrrha would provide the comforting support, Adam would bring the pain. This was a good system, the bull decided.

"Now, get up. We've got ten minutes to return to Goodwitch, so, get up and lets' go." Adam instructed, and with some aid the blonde rose to his feet, albeit a little shakily.

Together, they made their way back towards the others. Adam satisfied for the moment, Pyrrha in thoughtful silence and Jaune aching… But prideful.

Adam couldn't wait to break that pride down with more training.

Adam was just getting settled into his bed for the night, the sounds of his teammates undressing and dressing into their sleepwear filtered into his ears, his beds' curtains were drawn and he was typing away at his scroll, already in his own sleep wear and Wilt and Blush laying beside him on the bed while he sent his message to Blake explaining the days events.

Message sent, he sighed and laid back.

"And we're decent." Weiss announced, though Adam still didn't open the curtains. "Now! While you were off fetching Jaune and Pyrrha."

He just hated the way she used Fetch, like he was some kind of damn pet for her entertainment. But he merely inhaled.

"We decided that we'll be headed down to the docks come the chance to catch the newest arrivals from the other kingdoms."

And there it was, Schnees' plan to scope out the competition. He rolled his eyes. "And let me guess, I can't miss this?"

"We're going as a team! So nope!" Ruby poked her head between the curtains with a grin as she practically shoved her face into his. He blinked. She blinked.

"…Personal space Ruby."

"Will you come with us?~"

"…Will that get me my personal space bubble back?"

"Yup!"

Adam sighed and nodded. "Fine then." And she was gone as quick as she came! He rolled his eyes again and pulled his curtains closed before laying back down and getting comfortable for the night. "When are we going?"

"When my contact gets back to us!" Weiss announced, yawning. "Before then, we wait, patient."

"Sounds boring." Yang and Adam deadpanned.

"You both are so carefree! Don't you feel the need to know even a bit about our possible competition for the Vytal Tournament?" Weiss asked them, sounding exasperated.

"Not really." Came the two partner again, though from the slight twitch of their lips they were dong it now just to annoy the heiress.

It was better because it was working if Weiss' huffs were anything to go by.

"Night, everyone!" Their leader spoke, silencing any further arguments before they could escalate. Chuckling slightly, Adam rolled and watched as his scroll pinged.

He opened the message from Yang and smirked when he saw the simple **;)** she sent him. He quickly typed that he had no idea what she meant, heard a giggle above him and then he laid down, Wilt and blush in hand before he began to allow himself to drift off with his teammates around him.

* * *

 **End of chapter 7**

 _There's another chapter done and with it, I shall perform a small timeskip and soon, we can see Adam deal with Weiss' prejudice and the revelation that took literally no fan by surprise! How will that go down? Will Jaune become stronger? Does Pyrrha need more soul scarring looks into Adams' eyes? Find out next time on A Leaf Turned!_


	9. Chapter 9: Confrontations

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 9  
** **Confrontations**

* * *

Adam couldn't have been more annoyed than he was at that exact moment as he and the rest of team RWBY stood by the crime scene to a Dust robbery, one of many others that had been carried out in the last few weeks and like them it had been very successful. The two officers on duty had made passing comments about possible suspects and it naturally ended with the "White Fang". As if they hadn't paid attention to the fact the White Fang had never needed this mch Dust in such quantities before and now suddenly they were intent on robbing the entire kingdom of it?

The bull Faunus called all manners of Grimm crap on that.

Not that he could outright come out and point this out, his being a Faunus who paid such close attention to the White Fangs' previous dealings with crime? He'd be a suspect so fast it wouldn't be funny so he kept his silence and bit his inner cheek as they made their way along. He of course wanted to defend the honor of his former comrades and try to get some facts off his chest but while he tolerated RW and Y he wasn't going to call them trusted friends anytime soon.

And that was when Weiss Schnee decided to open her massive mouth. "What a bunch of degenerates." She sneered to seemingly no one in particular.

But Adam knew she meant the White Fang, And quite possibly other Faunus. But he didn't addres this and simply continued to move with them towards the docks and hopefully that would be the end of the Schnees' ignorance.

Naturally, it hadn't been.

"Honestly, what do those fanatical idiots hope to achieve with their efforts?" Weiss apparently took the silence as a "please go on we care" signal because she didn't seem the least bit deterred.

Adam knew he shouldn't say anything because it would only end in an argument between them and yet he felt the agitation bubble over and he cast his eyes over to her briefly before muttering, "As if you're one to talk."

The reaction was expected as it was instant. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She even had the gall to sound offended and act like she didn't know what he was referring to.

He _despised_ that.

"I mean your family," The "And you" was so obvious Weiss scowled even more, "is so infamous for its mistreatment of its Faunus Workforce it's a wonder you haven't gone to trial." He didn't growl, no that would come later if she pursued this damned argument.

Lo and behold she did!

"What?!" She both hissed and screeched in a way only a Schnee could and her usually pale features were flush red with indignant rage and she wasn't making an effort to hide the fact it was all focused on him. "How dare you speak of my family that way! We at least hire them!"

His brow arched in so casual a manner that hers twitched. "And that excuses borderline slavery?" Weiss opened her mouth to retort and he was again quick to cut her off. "Don't even try to spin that in a good way. You can hardly speak about the White Fangs' dislike of Humanity when companies like yours exploit them so obviously and get away with it because they have the lien to throw around."

The entire team had stopped now and Ruby and Yang were both observing the Heiress and Swordsman glaring at each other, teeth grit and gazes so fierce you're think they'd spark lightning without how strong they were glaring. "My family doesn't exploit the Faunus so much as give them a chance when no one else will, and the terrible conditions? The low pay? That's the price they pay because of organizations like the White Fang going around and sewing chaos wherever they go!"

"So because your own private security and local law enforcement are so inept at their jobs to catch the White Fang you have to make other, innocent Faunus suffer?" Adam growled then, he really growled.

Ruby looked visibly worried, and even Yang looked ready to jump in if the pair came to blows. But Adam wouldn't snap that easily, he had restrained himself thus far and it was clear the Schnee was used to holding back physical violence as well with how her face flushed in rage...But she didn't so much as shake.

That only made the next sentence all the more venomous.

"You sound like you sympathize with those lunatics!" Weiss accused with a harsh whisper but her eyes spoke a larger accusation. She wanted to outright call him out on him being a possible member.

His reply was on his lips before he could even consider the consequences. "I do." He ignored the way the others look at him, he relished the way the Schnee seemed much more guarded though, as if he were some new threat to her life. She had no idea how true that was, if he really wanted to he could end her.

Instead he went on. "I have seen what Humans do to us, what depths of cruelty your kind can dive to when its against _things_ they don't even consider Human enough. And if you're going to stand there and treat the Faunus who got sick and tired of the crap bigots like you," He pointed at Weiss, "Like trash because they decided to dish out what they got. Then you can bet I'm not going to just stand here and let you go on about it because I understand."

"You...You...!" Weiss hissed, as if steam would shoot from her ears any moment.

"Go on and say it, Schnee!" Adam snarled hotly. "I'm just waiting to hear it."

"Degenerate!"

"Uptight princess!"

"I am not a princess!" Weiss screeched and it actually hurt his damn ears.

Adam wasn't done though. "You're right, you're the heiress to a tyrant name!"

"And I think this is a _sensational_ way to clear the tension between two friends!"

"I-What?!" Weiss and Adam jumped, they literally jumped to the side and reached for weapons, their fingers curled around the handles of their respective swords and stared at the smiling ginger who was just...standing there, smiling like she was pleased to just be doing that.

A moment of silence, three...Five.

Ruby broke it. "Uh...Hi?"

"Hello!" The new girl replied with a wave that was almost over exaggerated. "My name is Penny! And who might you four be?" The girl, Penny, tilted her head with that same, cheery smile.

Ruby didn't look the least bit phased. "I'm Ruby! And these three are my team! Team RWBY! Sound off!"

Weiss groaned and palmed her face. "Weiss," She mumbled into her palm. "Weiss Schnee." She could feel the headache coming now.

"Adam," Said bull Faunus pulled his hand away from Wilt. He frowned at Penny...And she didn't look slightly deterred.

"And I'm Yang Xiao Long." Their busty blonde brawler thumbed her chest and grinned. "Arguably the best fighter on the team."

Adam scoffed.

" _Arguably_." Yang affirmed as if that made the insult to his skills better.

"Pleased to meet you all!" Penny moved forward, closing in three steps. "I couldn't help overhearing your argument and I have to say, seeing two friends argue like that, it doesn't seem a good thing to do, but with you both ready to fight after being surprised, together no less! I see you were just clearing the tension!" She announced, making the four blink. "Good work!"

 _Vale is insane_. Adam determined then with a scowl so fierce it might freeze his face that way. _Vale, Beacon, this girl and everyone else in the kingdom is obviously insane_. It had to be the water supply.

"Pleased to meet you too, Penny, we were just...Going down to the docks." Ruby began when no one else spoke up, smiling a little sheepishly. "To...See people, and stuff...Yeah."

It was truly impressive how much of a social trainwreck Ruby could be in so short a time. Adam glanced to the side, eager to vacate the area and leave Penny with the others when Yang nudged his side and when he looked over, he could already see she and Weiss were ready to bolt too. Fleeing with the Schnee?

"Sounds exciting!" Penny sounded like she actually believed it was.

"Want...To come?" Ruby probed.

Yeah, fleeing with the Schnee and Yang was a good plan. Together, while Ruby was talking with Penny, who didn't once look away from their leader, Adam, Yang and Weiss made their escape and left their leader to her awkward fate.

Adam almost felt bad _. Almost_.

* * *

"You ever feel like we're terrible people?" Yang wondered aloud while they sat at some little ice cream shop by the docks, sipping various milkshakes. Weiss was of cource going standard vanilla, Yang was sipping on chocolate and Adam went strawberry. "We did just leave Ruby to deal with awkward girl."

"It was for a good reason," Weiss said between sips of her 'shake.

"We need to be covert," Adam didn't bother they were a group so mix and matched they stood out like neon signs. "Quiet." They had also gotten into a shouting match that had attracted the awkward girl. "And observational." He even didn't point out the blonde monkey Faunus running by the window laughing about being a good stowaway.

He just sipped his milkshake and let the Schnee have her delusions.

"Not to poke a hibernating ursa here, but I have to ask," Yang suddenly spoke up with a glance between them. "Do you two have beef with each others species because your whole argument seemed to go from defending one side to insulting the other. Like an old married couple." She snickered.

Adam and Weiss both gave disgusted scoffs. They also both ignored their synchronized scoffing.

"See? You two are so alike it's probably why you're so tense around each other! It's like looking into a mirror!" Yang grinned at them now.

Adam spoke up before the Schnee could. "She and I are nothing alike bar our mutual dislike for the other."

"Indeed," Weiss grumbled, taking a longer sip. "Beyond that we're oil and water."

"And I'm the fire that sparks your eventual angry sex!" Yang announced with a grin so wide her teeth may have sparkled and blinded them.

But that wasn't nearly as blinding as the image of he and the Schnee doing something so intimate together. In fact it was so disgusting that his shake slipped from his grasp and clattered onto the tabletop, as did Weiss' but he ignored that. He also pointedly ignored the synced response.

"Never say that again!"

"Okay, Red Frost." Yang winked at the combo name they'd come up with when Ruby had given them that particular assignment some time ago. "Whatever you two say, I'm just telling you. If you two need to take an hour sometime to just work off that stress, just say, I'll Take Ruby out to a movie, leave the dorm, buy you both a bit of alone time~?" She waggled her brows suggestively.

And then she burst out laughing when their expressions of disgust warped to utter horrified disgust.

Adam just took this time to retrieve his milkshake grunted. "Ridiculous, Yang. Just ridiculous."

"Agreed, for once." Weiss hissed, sipping at hers. "Like I'd ever consider intimacy with some White Fang sympathizer."

Adam growled and Yang groaned. "And I've never sleep with an uptight heiress to some borderline slavery ring leader."

Weiss glared and set her milkshake back down, ignoring Yangs' "Here we go again..." And opened her mouth.

* * *

By the time RWBY returned to the dorm that night, Adam and Weiss were practically radiating restrained anger and spite, Yang looked suitably exhausted dealing with it and Ruby was still riding all three about abandoning her to Penny, who turned out to be really good as a person and a little weird but still someone Ruby could be friends with. This tension between Adam and the Schnee however began to boil over as they readied for bed.

"I hope you realize our efforts today to get the leg up disrupted because of your poor behavior." Weiss grunted, brushing her hair.

Adam growled again. "My bad behavior? I'd have been content to be silent if you'd kept your massive, racist mouth shut about the White Fang, Schnee."

"I call them as they are!"

"Funny, I do the same to you!"

Weiss finally threw her brush to to the floor and it broke. "I am not attacking you, Adam! I am attacking the White Fang, and because I have a right to do that at least because they are fanatical, Human hating Faunus who have no qualms making a huge mess of innocent peoples' lives as well their own kinds!" She panted, cheeks red and fists clenched. "It's because of them my childhood wasn't exactly easy. They're murderers, low lives who took friends and family from me my entire life and do you honestly say you can sympathize with them? How on Remnant do you just sympathize with such a group?"

To her credit she looked so curious angry and full of hurt she was trying to hold back and it tug as a part of Adam he long thought dead, but that was when he finally closed his eyes and took a long breath. "Fine, if you want to know I will tell you..." He turned, moved over to the closet and grabbed his travel bag, the one he'd had for initiation.

He unzipped it, retrieved the bone white mask. Decorated with crimson lines of his own design, it felt so heavy in his hands...But so familiar. This had been his face for so long, he stared at it. Hiding it from sight, there was a portion of it missing from the upper left middle, a fragment where his sword had pierced when he'd attempted to break it after Blake smashed hers.

Adam turned and tossed it onto the floor at Weiss' feet, it landed face up, staring up at her and she gasped, her posture went rigid and stepped back against the dresser by the window. The look in her eyes was also gone, anger and frustration were replaced by fear. She was frightened of him.

"H-How?" She whispered. "How did you get into Beacon if you're..."

Yang tensed and Ruby looked at Adam, and the mask, then back to him. Her eyes were begging for some sort of explanation.

Adam didn't speak for several moments. "I got in because I am good," He replied, tone low. As if the walls had ears themselves. "Better than any of you know, I was part of the White Fang until a week after initiation because someone...close to me convinced me that the White Fang I had joined and the one I was part of were two different things now."

They needn't know of Blake, lest they turn on him then she would at least be safe.

"Someone? Wait...is that you've been texting before you go to bed?" Yang asked now, looking more than a little cautious. "So...They got you to leave with them?"

"She and I are close, I trained her," Adam explained vaguely. "She was planning on leaving...And she convinced me to join her."

"So you're not part of the White Fang anymore, right?" Ruby piped up, looking much more relieved. "So...It's fine then, right? You're not part of them, so...No big no foul?"

"Are you two insane?!" Weiss yelled then, her frosty blues staring at Adam with a sharpness matched only by the glint of Myrtenaster in her hand. "Whether or not he left, he was still part of them! He committed crimes, he's a criminal! A terrorist. He might even be lying! He could still be part of them and just lying!"

"If I were a spy I'd be a pretty bad one for revealing my so called secret identity." Adam deadpanned, raising a brow at the weapon pointed at him, Wilt and Blush were on his bed...At Weiss' side. "And she isn't wrong. I've killed people, destroyed lives and if it wasn't for...My friend, I would still be there. I'm not a good person."

"Then why're you here?" Yang asked now, her eyes narrowing and unnaturally serious, as if daring him to lie.

"I...Need to learn to live among Humans, my friend told me I had to if I wanted to fight the way I was supposed to. How I wanted to. She said to come here, see how the generation was growing up, learn to talk and be around Humans without seeing them as enemies." Adam explained, standing his ground, He could go to the door and flee...But that would confirm his guilt. "I didn't want to, but she urged me to and here I am. On a team with three Humans...One being a Schnee who's throat I haven't slit in her sleep."

He grunted, pulling a small smirk. "I like to think it's progress."

"So, You're really, really, honest to all things good, not part of the White Fang?" Ruby asked again.

"Yes, I am not part of the White Fang." He looked into Ruby's eyes, then to Yang. Meeting their stares.

Ruby sighed in relief. "Than, you're alright by my books! I mean, this is your second chance, right? Make things right! Balance out the wrong!"

"Sounds 'bout right." Yang nodded, crossing her arms. "I mean, I do like dangerous men, but sorry, bullboy, you just crossed into too dangerous." She placed a hand on her chest. "Ours was a love never meant to be."

Adam ignored them, instead he looked to Weiss. "And you, Weiss Schnee?" He asked, staring at Myrtenaster, which was still pointed at him. "What is your judgement?"

She stared, looking him over, then to his eyes, those crimson eyes. Her lips tightened and her arm shook, as did the tip of her weapon. "I...How can I believe you without proof?"

He stared before nodding with a frown. "Very well." He stepped forward and when she raised her weapon, he batted the edge away with his palm and took hold of his coat, then Wilt and Blush. Getting dressed.

"Where are you going?" Ruby was again instantly worried. "Don't run away, Adam! We can work this out as a team."

"I'm not running away, I'm going to get evidence of my having left." He fixed his coat. And stood tall. "If it proves to you," He looked at Weiss, frowning. "That I left, then I will remain with team RWBY."

"Why do you want to prove so badly to me?" Weiss asked then, confused and suspicious.

"Because if you can't trust me even a little in the field, then Yang and Ruby could be compromised for it and I don't want to lose my friends. And much as I despise your family reputation, I know enough about you now to say that your dislike of my kind isn't surprising. It still irks me, but at the least I'm willing to prove this to you."

"But not for free, if I prove to you that I'm no longer in the White Fang. I need you to promise to keep my old life a secret. I'm trusting you, alot. More than I should. So, are we agreed?" Adam asked.

"...Yes, if you can prove it. Then...yes, I will keep up this deal." Weiss lowered her arm.

"Let us come with you, we'll help you!" Ruby hopped off her bed.

"No!" Adam snapped at her, making the three flinch with the tone of his voice. "I need to do this myself. This is my issue, my proof to Weiss. If I get into trouble I can't handle, I'll send you three a message. But until then, don't look for me." And with that, he turned and leapt out the window.

And when they peered over to check for him, he was gone. Just the trees and the courtyard.

Adam needed to track down his former allies...And destroy them. _All for a Schnee's acceptance_. He thought. No, not just for Weiss, but for Ruby and Yang. They wanted to believe in him...Like Blake did. And he could still see hesitation in their eyes. He needed to prove to them that they could believe in him and that he could be their teammate all the same despite his past.

So he'd hunt his former allies and get the proof.

* * *

 **End of chapter 9**

 _ **Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, reason being my computer, one from 2003, took the 14th of this month to finally die out and with it all my previous works and such. Now I am unsure when I will get my hands on a replacement, but for now assume my posting time will be...Spaced to say the least.**_

 _ **Sorry for that! But I hope you continue to hold an interest in this fic all the same! Until next time, peoples!**_


	10. Chapter 10: Memorial

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 10**  
 **Memorial  
**

* * *

 _I admitted they were my friends._

This thought all but haunted the bull Faunus as he moved over the rooftops of Vale with powerful leaps and long, quick strides with his superior mobility. His eyes narrowed and his grip on Wilt and Blush tightened the more he let his admittance weigh on his mind. How could he simply admit that? Did he even believe it or had it simply been a means to help his case in their eyes as they decided their judgements towards him?

Had it been true? Did some part of him actually want them to be his _friends_. Allies...Close allies?

Could he trust them as he trusted Blake?

As he moved through the air with slightly unattentive speed he could only ask himself why this bothered him so much. Yang, Ruby...And he supposed even Weiss had proven they were dependable as a team over the last few months. Even JNPR was something of a close knit group of friends to the team that was RWBY. But the idea of them being close allies, perhaps even friends? That had the bull Faunus a little...Hesitent.

And yet here he was. Out and about hunting his former comrades to prove to the Schnee that he was telling her the truth about his former affiliation.

 _I shouldn't care_. He thought, clearing another ten foot gap between two buildings as his Aura enhanced legs carried him along. _I shouldn't and yet...Here I am_. He narrowed his eyes further to slits and he clenched his free hand tightly, leather gloves straining under the strength of such a grip.

But none of that would matter if he didn't prove to them that he was as honest as he was.

So the bull Faunus pressed onwards towards an objective he didn't know fully where to start on how to achieve. And it was then, he allowed himself a brief remembrance into the past he'd buried beneath the mask that he so wore to ensure the safety of himself and his partner, Blake Belladonna.

* * *

 _Nine years ago..._

"My name is Blake Belladonna."

Adam blinked at the eight year old feline Faunus who had entered his room and announced she was his bunkmate so long as they stayed at the Orphanage in narrowed his eyes and observed her more closely while she fidgeted in place under the scrutinizing red eyes. Finally when he was positive of something only he could tell did he speak. "I'm Adam Taurus," He held out his hand and smiled, currently twelve. "Nice to meet you, Blake."

She blinked, amber eyes wide and surprised before she smiled too, glad to see his intensity was only temporary. "Nice to meet you too, Adam!" She took his hand and they shook. "I hope I make a good bunkmate!"

"You will, just stick close to me and I'll watch your back," Adam announced, pufffing up his chest and grinning, long brown hair falling beneath his shoulders as his still growing horns prodded through the longs on the top of his head. "Alright?"

"Right!" Blake nodded, smiling once more.

They shared that smile before he helped her settle into her bunk with her miniscule amount of personal belongings.

* * *

 _Seven years ago..._

"I'm joining the White Fang."

Adam stopped short of finishing up his shoelaces and sat up, giving the now ten year old Blake a confused stare. Where she had remained small and adorable as a kitten, Adam had aged well in two years, he was now a "mover" for some no name company, he got paid only a small amount, but he was strong enough to move things to and fro, and he didn't ask questions.

It was hardly fortune making but it would serve their purposes for extra food, Blake made a little extra by handing out newspapers and delivering mail to people on their street. It wasn't the most dangerous work for a ten year old girl, but Adam still worried for her every time she was late.

So when she announced her choice to join the White Fang, a group of older Faunus bent on "making things right" between Faunus and Humans, a divide still so wide that while Adam made a laughable three lien a hour, in a four hour job, while his Human cohorts made fifteen to twenty. He could see it wasn't working. At all.

"What?" He whispered as if speaking aloud about what she said would have them whipped by the other non-Faunus children around them. Even though Orphanages like this housed a lot of Faunus, it seemed that the ratio between Human to Faunus was still 3 to 1.

"I'm joining the White Fang." Blake sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a stern look. "And nothing you say will stop me." She stomped her foot. "Nothing."

The bull Faunus stared at her, silent and surprised all the same before finally he found his voice. "Are you crazy?" He asked, before she could speak he went on. "If you join them, you'll go to rallies, you'll wave signs and the Humans will throw stones, maybe worse! At you and the other Faunus, and if they find you here, the other Human children will beat you up!" He grabbed her shoulders and looked into those defiant amber eyes. "You'll be putting yourself in danger."

She didn't hesitate for a second. "If it helps get us and everyone like us out of places like these, living just barely better than common animals, then I would throw myself off a cliff!" Blake announced, arms still crossed and oh so defiant. Her feline ears twitching in stubborn irritation. "And I put myself in danger every day delivering mail, by just being a Faunus. You know that. Should I try to do something better than scrape by?"

Adam stared at her, looking for any crack in her armor to exploit and keep her close, keep her safe and nearby where he could watch her like he'd done for the two years they had been bunkmates. He saw none and her resolve was set. She was stone. "...You're right." She was wrong, she was too weak, she had the spirit and the heart. But Adam knew she lacked the strength. "If you're so set on doing this, then I'm going with you."

That caught her off guard, enough that she blinked and cocked her head to the side. "But, you have a job that pays, and it's a lot safer! And it's stable! You can-" He placed a pair of fingers to her lips and silenced her, chuckling. She huffed. "What is so funny?!" She demanded.

"You, worrying is my thing. Yours is to give me a big headache with your ideas." Adam smirked, amused as he rubbed his long hair from his eyes and gave a dramatic sigh. "Like now. But I see I can't stop you, and since I have suddenly lost all interest in my dead end job, I think its time that like any good bunkmate I need to let you explore the world by yourself. And I of course am going to go with you to make sure you stay safe."

"Bu-"

"No buts. I'm going and unless you tie me to the bed and run off, Actually...Not even that would stop me. I'm a bull and we're-"

She hugged him, arms around his neck and her face buried in his neck, giggling happily. "Very stubborn, I know, Adam. And I'm happy you're coming with me! We'll make a difference together!"

The boy blushed and sputtered, glancing around, before...With another grumble, he returned her act of affection. "Yeah, yeah...Lets go tomorrow then. Get some rest tonight."

"Alright." Blake pulled back and offered another smile before she ascended to her bunk above his. Wishing him a good night, Adam returned the words and with a smile on her lips she slept.

Adam was frowning until sleep claimed him.

* * *

 _Four years ago..._

Adam was seventeen.

It was his birthday and he'd been given a small party by his and Blake's friends some hours ago, to celebrate the day. All were members of the White Fang in some manner, and in the three years since their joining together Adam and Blake had been inseperable for much of the time until recently when a few of the White Fang members, former Huntsmen or trainers from local areas, asked him if he wanted to learn how to actually fight should the need arise.

Adam thrown himself into his training with full gears and it had turned out he was a natural fighter. He was described as fast, resourceful and cunning when it came to exploiting his enemies natural weaknesses. A prodigy with a blade by all accounts.

Blake was thirteen and she still attended rallies, they slept together most nights in a more clean bunkbed, given to them by the Orphanage run and owned by the White Fang, and bar a few sympathetic humans, it was filled with other Faunus of the Fang.

The day had gone smoothly. His training was progressing and he was told he would make quite the fearsome swordsman someday.

His real mentor, the woman in red and black...Told him he was still just a novice, not close to being ready for his ambitions to be made real. He'd need to try harder.

For now he sat in bed, Blake curled up against him while he read her a book she'd bought with her allowance that had been granted to her by the Orphanage. It was a fairy tale, fantasy. And the way it was written made it sound so romanticized. "And the beast, now turned into a prince, lived with his loving princess happily, till the end of their days." Adam recited, finishing the book after several nights of reading.

He closed the cover and gave Blake a look, she yawned sleepily and her ears twitched, feline ears, anyways. She was tired and that was obvious, she curled up all the more and looked up at him, smiling. "A nice happy ending for the princess." She grinned. "I wanna be a princess like her one day.;"

Adam snorted and set the book down on the bedside table. "Is that so, m'lady?" He teased her with a smirk. "If that is true, you'll need a beast who turns into a prince, won't you?"

Blake blinked, before she smiled. "Well that's easy. You'll be the beastly prince! Even if you're not scary enough for the part." She laughed, covering her mouth when he looked utterly lost to the idea.

"What're you talking about, Blake? I'm completely terrifying." He had long since cut his hair, now it was short, as his training masters suggested for his lessons, and Blake's hair was only growing more.

Adam raised his hands, curling his fingers like claws and flashing is teeth. "Rawr!" He tickled at her sides, knowing where she was vulnerable.

She broke down into a giggling fit, squeeling and hitting at his face with her palms, crying for mercy and ordering him on her authority as a princess that she stop. He kept at it, of course, for a few more moments before he finally pulled his hands away and laughed with her, laying back down.

She joined him, curling up beside him and yawning into his chest. He wrapped an arm over her, tuggin the blanket over them. Knowing she was too tired to climb up into her bunk, they'd be spending the night together. "I think I make a good beast." He whispered.

"Mh. And you'll make a good prince." Blake mumbled back, eyes closed as they lay together.

"We'll see, now get some sleep. You have another rally to attend, right?"

"Mhm. Good night, Adam." She nuzzled into his chest, hands reaching up to grasp at his nightshirt. "Sweet dreams."

The bull Faunus smiled, then replied. "Goodnight, Blake. Sweet dreams to you too." He held onto her, and let himself drift to sleep where his dreams were indeed sweet.

* * *

 _Three years ago..._

Adam didn't know how this started but that didn't matter now. The gathering was in chaos, Faunus and Human screamed as fires raged, the stench of panic and fear hung heavy in the air as people moved to escape the flames of the now destroyed podium and White Fang bus, both of which had exploded during the opening speech of the White Fang's current leader during their Peace Discussion Session in the rented park of Atlas' Government choosing.

The explosions had injured so many, and probably killed. This had been the third attempt on the leader of the White Fang's life, and looking at the stage now, seeing the man, a older raven Faunus, clutching at his bloodied arm and writhing in pain. Adam could see this attempt had come very close.

The bus itself was alight, none had been inside but those near had been showered by heat, shrapnel and concussive force. Many bled, but they were all secondary concerns.

His primery was the fourteen year old feline Faunus in his arms named Blake Belladonna.

She was bleeding from a nasty looking gash on her forehead, she hung limply in his arms and she was covered in soot. She had been by the bus, sitting atop his shoulders to better see the leader of their movement in Atlas, who had travelled from Mistral, Blake and Adam in tow, and she was breathing...But it was weak.

"I need a doctor!" He cried out over the other panicking voices. Shoving past some stumbling Human without a second thought. "I need a doctor, please!" He tried again, coughing from the smoke.

"Over here!" Adam turned, seeing a Faunus waving him over and he rushed over, handing Blake over when the man beckoned him to. She was set down and he pulled a medical kit from his backpack, apparently one to be prepared. A quick check, cleaning...And he looked to Adam. "She'll be fine! Just a scratch! Worse than it looks!"

The bull let loose a relieved breath he'd been holding and nodded. Glad to hear Blake would be okay. He stayed at her side, sitting there on the ground until she woke some minutes later. "What happened?" She asked him.

Adam had only one reply, one very basic reply. "Humans." He took her hand, squeezing it comfortingly as he smiled. "I'm glad you're okay, Blake. You had me worried there."

"Who would you read to if I left?" She replied, squeezing his hand back with tha smile he liked so much. "Are the others...?"

"Mostly fine..." He glanced around, the wounded were still being accounted for and miraculously no one had been killed, just hurt. They would all walk away from this. "Just a few scratches and some minor injuries."

"That's good, I was afraid we'd lose more friends..." She let small grateful tears gather at the corners of her eyes.

Adam squeezed her hand again and nodded. "But we didn't." And more importantly, he hadn't lost her. He could remain to protect her,, as he always had. They made it past this attempt.

But the leader and much of his old advisors would step down from leadership a week later, allowing the new regime to take hold...

* * *

 _Two years ago..._

Adam struck Blake.

He stared down at her frightened amber eyes, swimming with unshed tears and hurt, a hand to her reddening cheek while the other clutched her White Fang mask to her chest, her attire had changed, as did his. Black dominated their bodies, but she chose white, and he was red. Blood red.

The last year had tested them, he'd been recruited into the new fighting forces...And so had she, when she learned they would all be taught how to fight starting a year ago when the new leadership announced it. She'd taken to it, like he had...And he'd been in charge of training her as he had mastered his art under his newest master.

Said master watched them from the side, her crimson blade hanging off the floor, dripping crimson blood. Adam's blood.

She'd injured Adam and Blake had jumped in to defend him, to say she was being too hard on him and that he was still healing from their previous training session not a week before that had left Adam with a gash in his side, not fatal but still very painful and bloody if he tore his stitches again.

Blake had been entirely unprepared for when Adam had rounded on her and smacked her when she suggested he find a new master. "Adam...?" She whimpered, now fifteen to his nineteen.

He stared at her, eyes narrowed and furious, one had blood leaking into it from a gash on his forehead. The hardened features, before had been handsome, and kind and open to her were now just cold and angry. His eyes flashed and his hand lowered...Before seemingly he remembered who she was and what he had done.

Adam stepped back, "I'm sorry." He said, tone low and a frown tugged at his lips. "I...I didn't mean to do that, Blake. I just..." He turned away, before looking over to his master, who had sheathed her blade. "Mentor, forgive the interruption but I reque-"

"We are done for today, apprentice." The woman said from behind the impenetrable Grimm mask, her ebony hair flowing from behind the mask itself, large and obscuring all angles of her face. "See to your wounds and we will pick up where we left off next week. I will return then. Be ready."

She flicked her sword, creating a darkened rift...and disappeared into it before closing behind her.

Adam watched her leave before he turned back to Blake and his eyes were regretful, his body relaxed and he raised a hand, "Blake...Is your cheek alright?" He asked, tone softer and less cold, he was always so cold when he trained and this had been the first time Blake had attended their training sessions.

She didn't reply right away but finally she nodded,. "Yes, I'm just...I didn't expect it." She said, honest as she stepped closer, planting a hand on his forehead to stem the blood flow as she looked at the clean cut. "She treats you so roughly..."

"It is necessary to make me stronger, Blake." Adam replied, closing his eyes and allowing her to assess his state, something she was doing more and more often these days as his training intensified. His mentor had always trained him in bits and pieces, leaving him to his other trainers when he had joined the White Fang militants...But recently, she had taken a stronger stance with him that resulted in his being cut, stabbed and beaten thoroughly...

When Blake announced she was done, he opened his eyes and suggested they retire for the night before the sunlight completely disappeared from the sky,.

Adam had stopped reading her books, she read alone now before bed and he would sit, maintaining his weapon, Wilt. Along with its sheath, Blush. But tonight, Blake was in his arms the monent they reached their tent, the flap closing behind them as he discarded his weaponry onto the ground in his haste to hold her.

Her own weapon, Gambol Shroud, was likewise tossed aside carelessly as she embraced the frustration and stresses of Adam's body onto her own, this had become a routine. Passionate that bordered on loving in some nights they spent together. This had been the first time he'd hit her and her cheek stung.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as he crushed his lips to hers, a gesture she returned with equal passion. They swallowed the sounds of heated pleasure from the other with their kiss and their hands fumbled for the buttons and zippers and belts of their clothing in the haste to make use of the frustrations they endured.

"I forgive you." Blake breathed against his lips as she peeled his coat off, working on the buttons of his red shirt only to gasp and arch her back when he leaned down and bit at her exposed neck, mewling in pleasure as he teased and suckled at the flesh there. "Adam..." She closed her eyes as his hands deftly moved to remove her own clothing.

They were naked shortly. Clothes scattered, the light in their tent was dead and they muffled their moans and groans as they writhed in their pleasurable acts. Blake was bruised, aching in places she enjoyed and he was covered in "claw marks" from her nails and more than a few of her own bites.

He held onto her that night, rather than dismissing her to her tent like he usually would to keep their...Relationship a secret. That night, he breathed into her ear and kept his arms around her waist while they drifted between consciousness and sleep.

"What are we, Adam?" She whispered, squeezing his hand around her waist. "...Are we lovers? Friends? Mentor and student?"

They had never defined their relationship. Days, they were best friends, laughing, joking...Others, they were lovers, passionate, physical and demanding. Partners in the field, watching the others back... But there was no real definition for their relationship. He taught her to fight, they would be fine as friends and only sometimes would they find themselves rolling onto bed in a passionate make out session that would end in their clothes off and bodies spent.

Adam didn't know what to call them. "What do you want us to be, Blake?"

She was silent. "...Whatever keeps you with me and the same, Adam." Blake finally replied. "You're changing, and I'm not sure I like where you're going. I don't want you falling down onto a path I can't follow." She gripped his hand tighter now, closing her eyes and moving back into him.

"I'm changing?" Adam frowned, confused. He didn't feel different.

"You're becoming angry, every day you get angrier and angrier and you train harder, you hurt yourself and that woman trains you without a care for your safety. Adam I've known you so long I can see what you're thinking." Blake looked up at him and her eyes were alight with concern. "Please, don't change any more... I don't want to lose you."

Adam stared down at her, before closing his eyes and mumbling. "Idiot." He kissed the top of her hair, between her feline ears. "You'll never lose me. I've stuck with you this long...And while I have had setbacks, I always return. Don't I?"

"You do," Blake responded. "Just...Be careful."

"I will." He whispered. "How else would I protect you?"

* * *

 _Now..._

Adam hadn't realized then what changes had been going on through his mind. Nor had he realized what it would have meant had Blake not helped to remind him that he hadn't always been there to remind him that he should watch himself and how close he'd come to falling into the abyss of a darkness that he wasn't sure now he could have crawled out from had it taken him.

 _I owe you, Blake_. He thought to himself, stopping when he found himself at the docks of Vale, having travelled further than he intended when he'd lost himself to his memories. He glanced around, frowning at a rather curious sight.

An unmarked Bullhead was descending down near one of the docking areas. And from the crest on the ship...A Schnee freighter?

That ship could have only been carrying Dust and if that was the case. Then it seemed that he might have stumbled onto one of the many Dust robberies, obviously on a larger scale than just some dinky shop. Holding Wilt and Blush, Adam took off towards the dock to investigate and hopefully catch the real culprits.

He never thought he'd find the White Fang. But he had.

* * *

 **End of chapter 10**

 _Welp, there it is! Little tidbits into Adam and Blake's shared past for this story, a lot of stuff left out, I know, But I wanted to lay out that their relationship was a touch stronger, than seemingly in the canon, because of Adam's joining Blake in her defection. Now, is Tauradonna still a thing? Maaaaybe. Who knows! Will there be other pairings? Maaaaybe, who knows?_

 _Yes, I do suck. But hey! Keep the shipping up, maybe I will ship Adam with one of the members of RWBY. Or maybe he shall remain as he is, the lone but not so much alone wanderer._

 _Next time, tis the Docks!_

 _PS. Yes, I know it's rushed, and it does seem like such filler. DEAL WITH IT I AM TIRED AND I NEED SLEEP AND THIS LAPTOP I AM USING MAKES ME WANNA COMMIT GENOCIDE! Ahem. Sorry. Uh...Hope you enjoyed, at least!_

 _PPS. Thanks to a reviewer, I had noticed that chapter seven and ten make a bit of a background error as to when Adam met Raven, so...I fixed it by adding a few lazy lines to do my best at damage control. I'm incredibly lazy, you see._


	11. Chapter 11: Descend from Shadow

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 11**  
 **Descend from Shadow**

* * *

Adam firmly believed in the White Fang, he had always believed that they would be the ones to raise the Faunus to their rightful place in Remnant and that they would be imfallible knights to the common masses and spur them all on the take up arms for the rights and equality they and their forefathers fought for and had been cruelly denied it bar on the sheet of paper that was signed.

He believed he would be such a knight to his kind.

But what he was seeing, what he was watching transpire down on the poorly lit docks was nothing short of petty and disgraceful. He could see them, in the poor lighting his Faunus eyes afforded him perfect sight and he could see them, roughly twenty of his former comrades in full uniform, picking up Schnee Dust crates and moving them onto the Bullhead they had descended from.

How they all fit onto that single bullhead was beyond the bull Faunus but that was hardly the point. No what had the blood in Adam's veins sizzling to a boil was who they were obeying without so much a word of dissent.

Roman Torchwick.

Adam knew the name and face. Ruby had of course told the story of how she "Fearlessly thwarted" one of his robberies before invited into Beacon, Adam admitted the additional karate motions were adorable and they were amusing when she judo chopped the Schnee's plate of cookies resulting in a mess that had the bull chuckling at the time, and he knew full well this was a man willing to kill a little girl to escape the scene of the crime.

But that was all Ruby's intel. Adam himself knew Roman was a two bit thief who fancied himself a master criminal but settled for taking the safest scores unless the risks were outweighed by the gain on a four to one scale. And such opporunities seemed rare in Vale...But then the sudden string of Dust thefts and now the apparent working with the White Fang?

If he had been calmer, the bull Faunus might have smelled a rat but as it was. All he needed to hear was "Listen here you animals, we're not exactly the most inconspicuaous criminals around tonight so maybe you can pick up the pace a little." To really understand why he was about to metaphorically, and possible literally, disembowel the fancily dressed criminal tonight.

"Disgraces to the name of White Fang..." Adam growled to himself, he reached over and curled his fingers over Wilt's handle and with a screeching hiss the blade the slide from its housing, glowing a feint red as if reacting to the anger coursing through it's wielders veins. "Each and every single one of you." He stepped towards the roofs edge and dropped down.

He had some twenty Faunus to handle and Roman Torchwick...he couldn't let a single one of them live to tell who was about to disrupt to their operation.

 _Adam!_ Blake's voice echoed in mind, a worried and distressed sound as he bolted forward, sliding into the shadows between two shipping containers towards his first target, some unsuspecting lapdog to a Human they should be crucifying. _Don't do it! Don't fall into that anger again!_ "Blake" continued to warn him from the searing anger burning his blood.

He ignored her voice. They were all traitors in ways he and Blake could never be. They had betrayed the very ideals the Fang had been founded on. They deserved, and would get, no mercy!

* * *

Working for Torchwick sucked.

That was the unanimous thought of most Faunus who were transferred to Roman's "unit" to help the Human steal Dust for their leader and "benefactor" as they were told. Which rubbed him the wrong way that all the newbies more or less got this duty for a week or so, until they actually saw some real White Fang activity. And to think...Just a few days ago he was living in blissful ignorance.

Happy until his nephew had been hurt in a protest, a peaceful protest, the Fang weren't even involved and still...Now his nephew was in the hospital and for what?! Human bigotry?! "He hasn't even woken up yet..." The bear Faunus muttered to himself, grabbing another crate and hefting it up.

There was a thud and he turned, looking to where his partner had gone off to get more Dust crystals. "Hey! Careful, you idiot, you drop a crate and it goes off we're going to take the entire dock with us!"

There wasn't a response from the shadows...His eyes narrowed and he set the crates down, reaching for his machete at his waist. "Hey, Bill are you-"

A blur of red and black slid past him. And he felt nothing as his vision was suddenly skyward, as if he had been thrown, he couldn't even cry out as his lips parted to utter a gasp...no sound came out. He couldn't even feel anything now...

* * *

Adam rushed past the body before the head could even hit the ground, The scent of blood would alert his brethren shortly and he wanted to eliminate as many of them before the heavy fighting really started. His eyes narrowed and he snarled when two more Faunus appeared following the scent of blood. Their weapons were drawn.

They saw him, eyes glowing, the red of his body beginning to glow as well and that sword, still covered in blood, rushing them. One gasped... and the other began to raise his rifle in defiance.

Adam was on them, he swung with Wilt, the rifle in the left Faunus' hands split into two...And he staggered back with a spray of crimson from his chest that likely bissected his heart and lung. The right was treated to the barrel of Blush pressed into his chin as Adam spun past.

A trigger pull and the container beside them was decorated with gore.

 _Adam!_

"They're all disgraces!" He snarled and leapt forward, "They don't deserve to wear the Fang's colors if they're so ready to break its ideals!" He was on another, jumping forward and impaling the female to the container behind hr, she gasped up blood onto his face and he snarled as if she insulted him. He twisted the blade and jerked it free, leaving her to bleed out from the wound to her heart.

 _All of them, they're worthless._ He thought.

 _Adam, please_ stop _!_

"Silence!" Adam growled as he leapt into the air over a container, Wilt sheathed and ready to be drawn to spill more blood. Only to see he'd jumped right into the line of sight of the Human who so ignited his rage. Roman Torchwick.

And said Human was aiming right at him, smirking for all the smugness in Remnant to admire. "Well that's just rude." He sneered, "I haven't even said a word yet." And fired.

The bull Faunus grit his teeth and swung Wilt, the blade and explosive shot colliding with a blast as Adam was thrown back over the crate, smoking and slightly pained...Only slightly. He could hear the shouts of Roman telling the others to load up the Dust and for them to get rid of their "new friend'.

Adam growled and forced himself up onto his hands and knees, his coat singed and his hair a touch frayed. But the anger in his veins was enough to lessen the burning pain already. When the first few turned the corner and raised their weapons to gun him down, Adam leveled them with a harsh glare.

They stopped short, some outright almost dropping their weapons. There was obvious recognition. "It's Taurus." One whispered what they all thought, a few stepped back, others were now shaking. A few were steadily aimed, ready to carry out their order...But even they hesitated. Adam had been their leader months ago, and stories had been spread about him. He had been everything the Fang had wanted, powerful, loyal and imfallible.

He had also been terrifying.

"Disgraces..." Adam snarled as curled his fingers around Blush. "You bow to Humans like Torchwick?" He hissed, standing and glaring at them all. "How far the Fang has fallen...And this will be entirely my _pleasure_!" He leapt forward.

The White Fang members raised their weapons and fired...and among the gunfire and sounds of metal rending flesh there were screams of terror.

* * *

Roman Torchwick calmly lit a cigar.

He'd successfully, not that he would have failed to hit such a huge target mid air mind you, shot down his new arrival and made it all the easier for the animals to do their job. Now they just had to finish putting him down and they could get back to stealing the Dust before the authorities arrived.

"Honestly, Perry. I feel like you're the only one I can rely on." Roman confided in the bespectacled Faunus who was sitting in the pilot seat of the Bullhead. "And I mean that, they send me newbies every week and it just seems like they get stupider then the last batch!"

"Truly dismal." Perry said as he adjusted some controls.

"It's truly _insulting_!" Roman corrected, taking a long draw from his cigar and exhaling the cloud of smoke, outside of course because the "No smoking" sign on the hull. "They expect me to steal Dust in these amounts? Sure, give me a small crew of professionals or even a handful of competant hands, but a bunch of fresh off the boat recruits? Hah!" He sneered. "It's a bigger hassle than finding the Dust! But not you, Perry. You perform well."

"Thank you, sir." Perry didn't turn away from the cockpit controls. Merely turning one of the dials.

"It's worse because they get bolder when Neo isn't around to scare them into-"

That was when the gunfire sounded off, nodding to himself. _Took them this long to put down a wounded animal?_ He rolled his eyes, animals. The gunfire continued, then the screaming started and Roman blinked before frowning. "Ooh-kay..." That's a little concerning.

He turned to Perry. "Get us ready for lift off." Before turning away and hopping out of the Bullhead and seeing what the commotion was.

He was greeted to the sight of some of the White Fang running from where the interloper had been flung from the shot, yelling about "He's a monster!" or "It's Taurus!" And one "Our toast has been burned!".

He didn't bother to try and guess what the last one meant. And what on Remnant was a Taurus? As one Fang ran past him he turned and caught him by the back of the hood with his cane and tugged him back. "Whoa there doggy." It _was_ Canine Faunus. "Where do you think you're going? We have a job here." He warned, just a little threatening.

But instead of the fearful obedience that would be granted to him he was instead shoved at as the Faunus tried to escape his, something behind him, and that was all Roman needed to see before he twisted around with speed and put the dog between himself and the interloper he'd shot down.

The dog was cleaved nearly in two and Roman was left staring into the bloodied, snarling face of a Faunus who's red hair, black horns, pale skin and bloodied clothing gave him all the appearance of some demonic Grimm straight from nightmare.

That was a little more concerning. Almost as much as the way those red eyes seemed to glow and stare at him as if he was the worst sort of person.

 _Neo, you pick the absolute worst days to call in your weekend vacation_. He thought, before getting ready for a fight that would probably be more than a little messy. He swung Melodic Cudgal and knocked the Faunus back, bringing the weapon back down and firing off a quick shot to hopefully end this before it got too heavy. More time spent fighting meant less to escape cleanly.

The Faunus dodged and Roman grit his teeth with a sigh. Of course he didn't go down that easy. The first slash came and the criminal parried expertly...Only to feel the vibration bite of the force of the strike behind that sword...And see the cut in the shaft of his weapon.

How damn strong was this Faunus?!

* * *

Adam saw red, and as racist as such a thing would probably be, he couldn't deny the saying was apt right now. Blood dripped into his left eye as was pressed back from Torchwick when the man swung that cane of his. The bull Faunus landed and sheathed Wilt, glaring as he ducked right to avoid the follow up shot before he jumped forward and closed distance again.

He slashed, and Torchwick parried, albeit wth a flash of sparks as they began to trade blows and parries. Keeping the Human on the defensive, and Adam could keep up the vicious one handed strikes as long as he needed before he saw an opening.

He just had to whittle away at Roman's defenses and then he'd make the Human suffer.

"Adam!"

The bull's blood chilled and he turned his head, spotting Ruby atop the warehouse he'd been observing from. _What is she doing here?!_ She and the others were to wait for him back at Beacon!

He spotted the awkward girl too, who spoke...And Ruby turned away.

His brief lapse in concentration was enough for Roman to plant a boot to his gut and kick him back, before turning to Ruby and aiming. "Sorry, Little Red, but this party has been crashed way too much tonight." He fired.

And Ruby turned and watched, like a damn moron, as the shot approached and Adam twisted mid stagger, turning and jumping forward. "Move, you fool!" He shouted.

Ruby blinked and curled her legs to try and jump away...A second too short and the shot connected, Sending her back with a cry, Adam's heart skipped and he bolted forward, hopping up just as the awkward girl stepped forward and past him, looking determined.

They past...And he landed on the warehouse roof, moving towards Ruby. Who was laying there, covered in soot and smoking. He froze, her body overlapping with Blake's briefly, as if a nightmare was coming to life before him. Blake lay there, unmoving, unbreathing...Bleeding...

He blinked and she was Ruby again, a bit smokey but otherwise unharmed thanks to her Aura, and he slid down to her side."Ruby!" He leaned down, placing his ear to her lips. Listening for any breath-

She coughed right into his ear. He could feel saliva had gotten there.

"Owie..." She groaned, looking up at the sight of Adam, bloodied, and instead of horror...She was concerned. "Adam! Are you okay? You're hurt aren't you!?" She sat up and quickly tried to assess him for injuries.

 _She was shot directly and she's worried about me?_ Adam couldn't comprehend that. Couldn't comprehend the girl in the red hood named Ruby Rose. "You fool" He shouted, stopping her mid search. "I told you and the others to wait at Beacon!"

"But we just wanted to he-"

"You could have died." He added, tone lower as his eyes narrowed. "You don't turn your back on an enemy. You're lucky you had Aura." If she hadn't, she'd have been...Gone.

A green light the sky and Adam turned sharply, preparing to fight more when he saw a number of Bullheads go down, cut from the middle as beams carved them into two. They struck the crates and exploded, causing the contents to detonate too, creating a series of multi colored and element riddled explosions. The bull moved forward and watched as the last Bullhead flew off, likely carrying Torchwick. Roman Torchwick had gotten away.

He growled and his hold clenched tightly around his weapons. He'd gotten no answers, nothing from this little act of heroism other than more questions! Who was Torchwick working for? What were the Fang doing with Torchwick?

Had he done anything noteworthy tonight? Or just spilled the blood of his former comrades? Who he killed because they hadn't followed the ideals, Ideals that he too betrayed?!

 _What sort of person am I?_ He asked himself, sheathing Wilt. He looked at Ruby, who seemed mezmerized by the explosions and the sight of the awkward girl standing there, swords floating behind her. The only good thing about this desruction? The bodies would be disposed of...and Ruby need not see what he had done to them.

* * *

Ten minutes later the authorities arrived and secured the now ruined dock site. Ruby, himself and Penny, she had introduced herself AGAIN while they waited, stood with the remainder of team RWBY, Ruby informing him that they had been searching for him since he'd left.

He in turn told them what he had been doing. But when he reached the current nights events. He looked to Weiss. "You were right," He muttered. "It was the White Fang, they're working with Roman Torchwick...They've been stealing the Dust." Adam also felt no need to mention that he had...Killed quite a few Faunus.

Weiss was silent, his stance was tense, but not aggressive, more tired. And instead of the verbal boasting and mocking he had been expecting she said. "But you stopped them, right?"

He was surprised, and he showed it with a blink. "To...The best of my ablities, yes." He'd killed almost all of them, and any left had been caught in the explosions, likely dead as well then. He and Blake's secret was safe. Torchwick didn't know him.

Blake would remain safe.

"Then I guess, in the interest of teamwork and your efforts, that I can...Trust you, as a teammate," Weiss said, looking as uncomfortable as he felt. "I know I can be difficult."

He snorted.

"Ahem! Trying to be sincere here!" Weiss huffed, "You are such an-" She stopped when he began to chuckle, blinking. His chuckles turned into low, deep laughter and finally, he began to calm down. "...What was that?" The heiress asked, briefly weirded out.

"Me laughing."

"Why?"

He smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"You...I...Agh!" She threw her hands up into the air. "You are impossible, Adam Belladonna!" She accused, poking him in the chest and glaring into his red eyes. "Absolutely impossible!"

The bull Faunus just chuckled despite how heavy his body felt. "Yes, well. I am a bull, and we can be very stubborn."

"Aww..." Yang stepped forward, wrapping one arm around Weiss and the other around Ruby, pulling them into a hug. "Teamhug!" She announced, grinning at Adam.

Ruby looked delighted, and wrapped her arm around Yang, while leaving the other open for him. Weiss, after a moment put hers around the blonde as well before giving him an expectant look. The RW and Y eyed him, waiting. Yang waggled her eyebrows, Ruby just smiled widely and Weiss arched an impatient brow.

Adam rolled his eyes, stepping forward and into the embrace. His arms half heartedly around the Schnee and Ruby as they formed a full team RWBY hug. "Idiots." He muttered.

"You love us." Yang smirked. Ruby elbowed her in the side and said "Moment, ruining it". Weiss just huffed.

Adam decided he could worry about Roman later, and get his answers as well...For now, he'd take Blake's advice and try to be a student, and learn to live with Humans. It might be easier now, since he had such an...interesting team to do it with.

"Hey, where's Penny?"

Adam blinked, glancing around. Huh...Where had she gone?

Probably not important, right?

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter 11**_  
 _ **And A Leaf Turned Volume 1!**_

 _Welp. There it is, the end of the first Volume of A Leaf Turned! And a glimpse into the Darkness that Adam hides beneath his mask of control and apathy. Scary, I think. Anyways, the next chapter, should I post it as a next chapter or just another story? Hmm, I dunno! I guess we'll have to wait and see._

 _Anyways, thanks for following this far and I hope to see you all again when I next post up the continuation of A Leaf Turned._


	12. Chapter 12: Men and Monsters

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 12  
Volume 2  
Men and Monsters**

* * *

Adam couldn't believe how Ruby's supposed "Best Day EVER!" had devolved into this mess. It was supposed to be a nice, quiet day spent hanging out as a team and just enjoying each others company...Well, enjoying might have been a stretch between himself and Weiss, but considering he hadn't killed her and he wasn't in custody they were making some progress on the long bumpy road that was their frenemiship.

So when there was a crash and Weiss cried out, forcing him to press his back harder against his cover as it shook from the impacts of enemy fire, he turned his head and saw the heiress come skidding across the floor beside him, her pale, well kept skin dotted in crimson lines and eyes glazed in shock.

He could have left her there. He should have, she was a goner, her wounds too severe to be anything but a liability to their efforts to hold their position and not give a single inch of ground to their impressively coordinated foes.

Weiss coughed, sputtering up more of that crimson that dotted her face and shoulder, her eyes regained some life as he placed her head on his lap, she blinked once, still dazed. "A-Adam...?" She whispered, and squinted...Before she smirked tiredly. "You look like an Ursa won a fist fight..."

With his black eye and torn sleeve, along with several splotches of red across his own attire, he didn't doubt it. "You're hardly in a position to talk." He responded just as gently, as if raising his voice would somehow send the heiress back into shock.

"Please, even in this sorry state I am still a far more enjoyable sight then you, Belladonna." She coughed, sputtering his face with red.

He glared down at her before his tongue snaked out and licked some of the crimson away closest to his lips. "Only you could make such good ketchup taste so bitter, Schnee." It was a half hearted sneer. "Now clean yourself up and clear your head, loathe as I am to admit it, we need you to hold the line."

"How is the line?" Seemingly done resting, she sat up and moved next to him, hefting up a container of mustard in her good hand, the hand not currently slippery with ketchup.

Behind their cover, across the cafeteria, Nora Valkyrie continued to provide long range soda bombardment while Ren and Jaune entrenched themselves behind their anti-food barrier made of overturned tables. Covered in the remains of the various foods they'd taken.

The battle had started out so well too, but then Yang took a ketchup pack to the eye and Ren and Pyrrha moved in for what could only be called an ass kicking, so Ruby was single handedly engaging Nikos in close Carrot VS Bread combat and it was a losing battle because for all her speed, Nikos was the more experienced warrior.

Adam himself had been forced into cover when he hit Ren across the room with a turkey to the face, Nora's revenge was still going with this bombardment. "They've been better." The bull Faunus finally said, not even glancing away when he heard Ruby shout out in surprise, the "crunch!" Of breaking and the red leader sliding past them was all he needed to hear to know they were losing ground.

Weiss groaned. "We had this! Where did we go wrong?"

"Probably when Yang got laid out by Ren and Nikos." Adam supplied, grabbing a piece of the long bread and heft it up, taking a few test swings to test its sturdiness. It would work. "I can still fight, if I can break their front defense," AKA beat Nikos back, "We can push forward and regain our momentum, even if we're one down."

"My eyes _again_?! Oh dus-"

Yang flew through the air and landed with an explosion of food and tables right by her KO'd sister. Adam's brow twitched.

"...Two down." He amended flatly.

"We can still pull this off, I'll charge Nikos and engage in close combat, once I break her down and force her back, you'll use your glyphs to launch a surprise strike with those watermelons at their lines, giving me time to rush in and into their defensive walls. It will be a slaughter from there." In those close quarters it would be just that.

"Are you sure you can do it?" Weiss questioned, though she didn't seem particularly worried.

Adam snorted and said with a smirk. "Watch me."

He hefted the bread and jumped from cover and batted a pair of sodas aside, causing them to explode to the sides and avoid coating him in their sticky deliciousness. The bull's feet touched down and he kicked forward, shouting. "Nikos!" And then he flourished his bread sword in challenge.

Pyrrha turned, and saw the bull rushing forward and she brought up her own bread sword and serving platter shield to ready herself for a fight she knew would be tough. Ruby and the others had of course informed her and JNPR about Adam's "past" and knowing that, Pyrrha was well aware he would be a tough opponent. "En garde!"

She thrust forward and Adam twisted mid-stride, bashing her thrust to the side and smirking, those crimson orbs glowing slightly in what could only be excitement. He cocked his head to the side and dodged a can that Nora idly flung, before he stepped forward further into Pyrrha's space, who steadied herself and turned on her heel to bring her shield around for a bash of her own.

Adam raised his elbow and took the bash with it, while he flicked his weapon in his grip and brought the "grip" forward with force right into Pyrrha's back, stumbling her forward, he stepped to follow, but when she whipped back around and thrust for his face, he grunted and brought up his sword to barely parry the strike, sending it just to the side enough that only crumbs brushed his cheek.

"Close." She whispered.

"Too close." Adam grunted.

He stepped forward and brought his knee upwards in a flash of movement, ramming it into her gut with enough force that she doubled over and leaned into his shoulder. He pressed his palm to the valley between her breasts, he thrust said palm forward and sent the champion of Mistral flying back with a yelp of indignant surprise for his "grope".

The crash that followed as she impacted JNPR's defensive barriers and scattering a few tables was music to his ears. As were the surprised looks from Ren, Nora and Jaune as their star defense player was removed from the board.

With a grin, Adam crouched and his blood pumped for the fight ahead. He charged forward, hefting his sword and snarling, "Now you're-"

" **ENOUGH**!"

The world froze, as did the two teams, everything seemed to freeze, floating where things stopped as weight bared down on Adam's shoulders. He turned his head to see Glynda Goodwitch standing there, arms crossed over her chest and crop in hand so tightly her knuckles were white. The vein above her right brow also informed him that he, along with the others, were in the deepest of troubles.

Before anyone could speak to defend their case and offer grovelling for mercy, the Deputy Headmistress flung her crop across the in a wave so violent that the furniture, trays and food all flung itself back into proper positions across the whole of the cafeteria as if fear of her wrath was all the incentive they needed.

Teams RWBY and JNPR were simply flung into the wall and pinned there until the place was nice and tidy-ish again. Once they were released, Glynda stood before them and narrowed her eyes. "Before I start handing out detentions to all of you, I think-"

"You should let it go." Ozpin was suddenly beside her, causing the four to blink. Like he'd just appeared...Even Glynda seemed surprised.

"But..." She saw the look in his eyes, then sighed. "Very well." She turned back to the teams. "You're all off this time, return to your dorms and try not to destroy something else, please?"

There was more than a little threat in her words. With varying degrees of "yes!" from them, the teams vacated the cafeteria.

But not before Adam shared a look with Goodwitch and Ozpin, hers was grim, warning him to be mindful. Ozpin's was more lenient, but all the same he had no doubt that if he felt he had to then expulsion would be the least of Adam's worries.

The bull moved to catch up with the rest of his team and he found them waiting for him outside the double doors of the cafeteria. Apparently over the entire incident already, bar their messy clothing that would need washing and repair.

"Well! Team RWBY! Let us return to our dorm, freshen up and prepare to hit the arcade!" Ruby announced while throwing a fist into the air.

"Yeah!" Yang joined her.

"Yay." Weiss and Adam deadpanned. But nonetheless nodded their partings to JNPR, who Jaune said had "traning plans" ahead for them, so Adam was at least confident that Arc was at least taking his training seriously now.

But it was only when they were back in their dorm and undressed did Adam and RWY truly speak their minds. "What did you and Headmaster Ozpin talk about?" Yang asked from behind the curtain he kept on his bed, the sound of rustling fabric as the girls undressed themselves and got out fresh changes of clothes.

Adam tossed his own ruined uniform jacket aside while he thought back to the "interrogation" he had with Ozpin when they'd returned from the docks. "...Well," He began with a frown, leaning into the wall as all activity ceased at once, all three were now probably listening intently.

* * *

 _ **Flashback!**_

"Mr. Belladonna," Ozpin sat across from him, a mug of coffee in hand. He offered a brief smile, trying to "settle his nerves" Adam guessed. "No need to look so grim, this isn't an expulsion meeting. I merely wish to know what happened on those docks. As you can imagine, the resulting dust explosion pretty much burned the scene clean, of material and bodies alike. All we can confirm is that the White Fang were involved...and that you and two certain girls were responsible for stopping them."

"So, care to shed some light on the events?"

Adam couldn't begin to try and think of how to explain what he had done on the docks. He remembered it, and he was there again, cutting, spilling blood while the coppery scent of it filled the air with the screams of the terrified as he cut them down. He wasn't squeamish by any means and such sights had long since lost their weight to him, simply more bodies in a river of blood he was determined to wade through to see his goals accomplished.

But now? After so long being a student and hanging around with the likes of RWY? He could say that, reflecting on the murder, no, slaughter of his fellow Faunus...He felt something he never thought he would. Regret.

"I don't know what to tell you," Adam began when his mind returned to the present and he shoved the feeling away. "I saw a commotion, investigated, saw it was the White Fang, I called Ruby-"

"But not the proper authorities?" Ozpin arched a brow. His tone wasn't accusing, but Adam could see that the man wasn't buying what he was selling. "I'll be frank with you, Mr. Taurus."

Adam didn't need to hear more, he didn't have to. His real name. Used so nonchalantly, Ozpin knew him and could identify him. He had to be eliminated. And when Adam grit his teeth and tensed his body to lunge, aura or no, people could be strangled to death all the same.

Ozpin was suddenly at back, hands on his shoulders and pressing down with strength that threatened to outright break the bull's shoulders. "Calm down, Mr. Taurus." Ozpin didn't sound like the warm, usual headmaster. But instead someone who knew they were dealing with a criminal, and were trying to offer a deal they'd rather not. "This doesn't have to become a scene."

"I'd say it already is." Adam growled, trying to rise, but the hands on his shoulders gripped, and he hissed again. "What do you want with me?"

"To listen." A pause, then a chuckle. "And to not make an attempt on my life as well."

"No promises." Adam muttered, the weight relented as suddenly as it appeared and Ozpin was on his chair, as if he'd always been there, sipping his coffee. '...What in the dust are you?"

This time, Ozpin smiled and spoke with his usual carefree cheer. "Just a man of many talents, Mr. Belladonna," He'd slipped back into using Adam's temporary persona. "Now, I know who you are, and what you were. And I know for a fact what happened on those docks." He raised a hand to silence Adam when he opened his mouth to speak. "I have my ways, but I do know. And I alone. And your secret is safe with me."

Adam could already tell there was a "but" coming, it was so obvious. "But not for free, obviously." He grunted.

"Correct, nothing is free, Mr. Belladonna, including my silence." Ozpin said easily, leaning back into his chair. "It's nothing nefarious, I assure you. I just simply wish to lay down a few rules, but before that...I have to know, why did you join my academy?" He raised a brow, awaiting the answer.

The answer couldn't have been simpler for Adam to answer in thought. He joined because Blake wanted him to use the academy as a place to foster a better view of Humankind, to try and get over the massive wall of hate and prejudice he'd erected during his time as the leader of the White Fang in Vale. It was a simple answer that would otherwise compromise Blake.

He settled for a part of the truth. "To learn to live among Humans, being what I was, you can imagine I didn't have the best view of them." Adam explained tone low. "I still don't, but the fact I have a Schnee on the team who is still alive should explain my efforts to try and mend that."

"Indeed," Ozpin nodded, seeming more amused than anything else. "I can tell you're holding something back, but I won't pry."

Adam frowned deeply. This man seemed too knowledgeable. "So what are these rules, then?"

"Quite simple, really. I want you to keep trying to mend your prejudice, so that should be easy enough to follow." Ozpin spoke, tone serious again as quick as Glynda's temper could flare. "Second, I want you to protect your teammates."

"They're my teammates, isn't that a given I'd protect them?" Adam didn't snort, but he wanted to.

"I know, but I mean to protect them. I'm not sure you've noticed but with the Vytal festival coming and Vale chosen to host the event, that many teams across Remnant's combat schools are arriving, and with them, other kingdom citizens eager to visit and take in the sights before and after the festival. When the tournament arrives-"

"It'll be a glorified pissing contest between the Kingdoms, I know all about that part of history and it's farce." Adam snorted this time, contempt clear in his voice. "Must be humbling, knowing that despite reaching peace, Humanity requires a violent tradition to continue to ease the tensions of the old wars and measure themselves against the other." The bull smirked, oh how good it felt to berate Humanity again openly.

"You're not wrong, sadly." Ozpin suddenly seemed a tired old man with the way he slumped in his chair with that explosive sigh. "But, yes. During the tournament, I have it on good authority that someone out there is planning to use it as a means to cause some form of panic. Perhaps to do my Academy harm, I am unsure...But the rule I want to impart on you is a simple one. Protect your teammates, at all costs."

Adam didn't like this, there was something else at play here and he had seen machinations from Humans enough to know he was right about this. "Why? What're they to you that makes them so special?"

"All my students are precious to me, Adam." Ozpin said seriously. "But those three girls? They might become critical pieces later in life to the continued existence of the Kingdoms, I just want them protected-"

The bull slammed his palms onto the table, narrowing his eyes viciously as his aura flared. The crimson on his body lighting up. "You're manipulating them. The fact they were on the same team, you set them up that way." He accused with a growl. "And now you're telling me all this, knowing what I am, because you want to use me as a guard dog, I'll give it to you, _Human_." Adam spat. "You're brave admitting all this, but I won't be a piece in your game, now will I let my teammates be pieces too."

"You're right," Ozpin admitted without shame. "I have manipulated things thus far, I ensured they would be set up on the same team despite the random conditions. And I knew who you were from the get-go, though honestly it took me until now to decide to what do to with you." The headmaster explained. "I admire your protective instincts, no doubt born from someone of your...colorful background, but you must understand. Whether they like it or not, or you, or even i, the game is already in motion. Forces, mine, and an enemy I've yet to see are moving."

"There will be a clash, and I believe it will happen during the Vytal Festival," Ozpin frowned deeply, eyes grim. "If it does, I need to know that your team will be safe."

"Fine, I assume then so long as I act as your guard dog, you'll never tell them exactly what I was? What I've done?"

"Yes." Ozpin nodded. "That will remain your story to tell, just ensure their safety if such a thing should threaten them. Beyond that, simply continue on as you will. And...Do not inform them of this discussion."

"Secrets...Humans are full of them." Adam said with disgust.

"Sometimes it's because we care, Adam." Ozpin countered, then gestured to the door. "Have a nice evening."

"You too, Headmaster." Adam grunted, standing and quickly leaving before his growing questions and frustrations overwhelmed his control and he lashed out violently.

 _ **End of flashback!**_

* * *

"Ozpin knew I was in the White Fang before, and he wanted to know how I found the dock operation, by chance...Mind you," He couldn't see their faces, but he liked to think they believed him there. "He said he would keep it secret, since my reasons for coming here were...Trying to make myself a better person." He was lying to them now, and he didn't like the bitter taste it left in his mouth. "Simply put, I stay on the straight like I always have and I remain your teammate." He tried to sound nonchalant with that ending.

"Phew!" Ruby broke the silence with a relieve sigh. "Well that's great! You can still be our teammate, and we remain the awesome team RWBY!"

"Yeah," Adam said lowly to himself, frowning deeper as he considered just how much more complicated his life had become. "Awesome." That was a word for it.

* * *

"It smells like someone died in here..." Emerald Sustrai complained as she held onto her nose to stop the stench as they entered the bookstore marked "Tukson's booktrade", "Ugh...Doesn't the guy at least clean this place?" Honestly, first they were brought here and had to stay with that low life criminal scum Roman Torchwick, and now here they were cleaning up his mess!

Mercury, however, was oddly silent and his expression, once carefree and easy, was now hard and his eyes scanned the dimly bookstore. It was a look she was familiar with, the look of his past coming to him and his training as a killer of man, not of Grmm, taking over. "Someone did." He announced, stepping towards the counter, where he hopped over and moved into the backroom.

Emerald heard him grunt in disgust, before calling. "Yo, Em! Come check this out."

She really didn't want to see another dead body so soon after getting to Vale, but...She was also very curious. "Is...it bad?" She asked, uncertain.

"Nah, no ripped to pieces things here, just a large hole."

Because that was so much better than like a snapped neck or something! "Fine." She went out back and stepped into the doorway. "What is it?"

"Someone beat us to the kill," Mercury nodded to the floor.

Emerald turned her gaze onto the body of Tukson, who was sprawled out across the hardwood, crimson leaving from the large wound in his chest where his heart would be, said organ having no doubt been pierced. The blood was drying, and the body was likely hours set if how dry the blood was anything to go off of. "Poor guy."

Mercury kneeled down, mindful of the blood. "Claws are only half ejected, he didn't try fighting until it was too late," He recited calmly, "Probably tried to run out of the back, attacker got to him, he turned... Wham." The Assassin finger gunned at the hole. "Dead, left to lay there, but what's really interesting is that." He pointed to the wall beside his partner.

Emerald turned, and there on the wall in dried and drying blood was the mark of the White Fang in pretty eerie detail...And in the same blood writing below could be made out "Traitors never survive".

"...Welp, what appetite I had," Emerald deadpanned. "Is now gone. Lets get out of here, Mercury."

"Yeah," The silver haired boy stood, stretching his arms above his head. "Lets. The smell is bugging me." Together, they made their way out of the shop, after making sure no one was looking anyways, then...The continued along the street towards the meeting place designated by Cinder.

But it was Emerald who asked the obvious. "Who do you think took him out?"

"Not Roman," A snort left Mercury. "Probably some White Fang cleaner or something."

"...Why do I feel like this is going to be important later?"

"Iunno, Em. But I like how this day turning to be ver interesting." Mercury grinned.

Emerald rolled her eyes. Great...Just when she thought the plan couldn't get more complicated.

* * *

 **End of chapter 12  
And the start of Volume 2!**

 _ **Welp, there it is, after so long a wait I finally posted this up! After hastily finishing it too! Hope you enjoyed it! And yup, I am changing certain events, while keeping others the same. Since Adam coming along has dipped a few dominoes that I intend to make full use of! That said, until next chapter! If you'd kindly leave a like, fav and/or review! Have a nice day/night!**_


	13. Chapter 13: Skirting the Truth

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 13  
Skirting the Truth  
**

* * *

"No." Adam deadpanned.

"But, Adam, this is big! You said it yourself that if the White Fang is gathering this much dust and following someone like Torchwick then it has be something big coming! And as Huntresses and Hunter-"

"In training." Adam interrupted her with just a touch of fierceness in his voice. "You three are Huntresses in training, because you're part of Beacon Academy doesn't mean you're ready to fight against the White Fang."

The bull looked over their expressions, Yang was scowling, probably she didn't like being underestimated. Ruby just looked crestfallen and Weiss seemed particularly agreeable to his words.

"You are students, if the White Fang is anyone's problem it is mine. And I do not intend to go looking for trouble if I can help it." It also meant that they wouldn't throw themselves into danger if he himself didn't, it grated on him to not do anything...But to ensure their safety he would reign himself in and allow the Fang to run unchecked.

Two objectives. Protect RWY and not cause a scene.

"That's bullshit."

"What?" Adam and Weiss chorused, staring at their blonde teammate in a mixture of displeasure and surprise.

"I said that's bullshit, Belladonna. You're saying we shouldn't do anything at all because we're not full huntresses? I don't know if you noticed but you could have died because of your lone wolf thing," The blonde's eyes narrowed and they flashed crimson. "If the proper authorities could handle this, the they would have, But these robberies are still going and now we know who. You know how they operate! We could track them down, find their hideout and-"

"And what?!" Adam snarled so viciously his teammates reared back. He bared his teeth, "Do you three not get what I am saying?" Weiss tried to point she was agreeing previously, but a glare from his shushed her. "Those mutts I fought on the docks? They were green recruits, no better than some random bum off the street given basic arms trainimg, but if we find their hideout, you know what we'll find? Officers. We will find White Fang officers who are more or less as deadly as myself. Not run of the mill grunts!"

He stepped forward, and only Yang stood her ground against the advance of the bull who's aura was flaring. "You know what a White Fang officer does to become an officer? Have a high kill count, be powerful. They're like Hunters without all the knightly lies. They're-"

"Like you?" Yang challenged, stepping forward.

"I'm one of the worst," Adam admitted, lowering his voice as he ran his memory over with some of the Officers he knew. "But there are worse than me. I may be a monster, but a monster can exist physically, be tracked and killed...Some are simply nightmares." He looked back at her, eyes narrowing. "And they fight to kill, not wound, not maim...They will kill you."

"And I didn't become part of this team to let my teammates go on a suicide mission."

Weiss took this time to clear her throat. "You say you were an officer, and there are worse than you?" He nodded. "And that this is way out our league?" Another nod. "I agree! We're students, and so we should focus on our studies and let the proper authorities handle this themselves!"

"They. Can't!" Yang shouted then, stomping her foot and this time her eyes were red. "Weiss, Adam. I get it, you both want to protect us, have some fear of the White Fang, I get it, I do. But we have to do something, that's why we're here, right? To make this world better?"

"Yang's right!" Ruby finally piped up, crossing her arms. "We need to start doing what we're training for! Fighting Grimm, terrorists and protecting the people of Remnant!" She grinned widely, sharing a fist bump with her sister.

Adam glared at them, as did Weiss. "This isn't a game, Don't you get that? You can, and if you pursue this idea, will! Die!" He palmed his face. "Yang, Ruby and Weiss. Just...Please," He changed his angle of attack, his voice dripping with strained patience. "Just, give the authorities a month. If they can't turn up anything in that time then for better or worse then we'll begin our own...Misguided investigation."

The pair of do-gooder sisters looked dubious, and he tried to soften his expression. "One month. It's all I ask." It would give him time to find a more permanent solution to keep them away, or maybe the fang would really be caught? He doubted it, but he had to hope if he wanted to complete his goals.

"Alright," Ruby huffed, looking a little put out, Yang just looked annoyed. "A month, but then! If nothing is done then team RWBY will take this upon themselves to be the first team of students to successfully bring down a criminal organization in Vale!"

Fist raised, Yang grinned and threw her fist up. Adam rolled his eyes, as did Weiss. "Right, well...We'd better get to our classes." Weiss said, much to Adam's relief. He wasn't sure how long he could handle this argument that he just wanted to shut down.

And so, team RWBY dressed for today's success and headed off to their classes with an air of sombre reservation. Each plagued by troubled thoughts concerning the White Fang and their own teammates.

Adam couldn't allow them to face the White Fang, not at their current levels of experience...They would be slaughtered. They could beat the grunts down, no doubt there...But against the veterans like Adam? He didn't doubt for a second they would have far greater difficulty.

They were, afterall, still only students.

* * *

Ruby Rose was called many things. Hyper, naive and sometimes even less then academically stable! But she was by no means someone to stand by and let criminals do stuff they wanna do if she could help it! And while she did not like lying, like, at all! She knew if she and Yang told Adam the truth he'd be against it.

So that was why while Adam was out apparently handling Jaune's "lessons" with Pyrrha, she and Yang explained to Weiss that when they head into Vale for the next few days they would be running their own investigation to try and track down the White Fang. And they wanted Weiss to help them by making sure Adam would be none the wiser to their little lie.

She expected a scolding, to be glared at and said what a dumb it would be. She was not wrong.

"That is the single stupidest thing you two have ever come up with," Weiss crossed her arms and frowned at them like they were children who had done something terribly wrong. "And not just because you lied to him when you promised,-And no! I don't care if you had your fingers crossed!" She stopped their "excuses" right there. "You don't see it yet, do you? He is just watching out for you two, because he is right. These White Fang aren't something we can handle by just running in and gunning!"

"Please, Weiss, we're not kids," Yang said, waving a hand while Ruby snorted beside her, as if to hide a small "I kinda still am". "We can handle some average street goons, isn't that what Adam said most of their grunts are?"

"Most. Not all. You heard what he said about officers, didn't you? That they were just as good or better as he is!"

"You almost sound scared, Weiss." Yang said with a frown.

Weiss stepped forward and brought her foot down onto the floor with a thud. "I'm terrified! You think the White Fang are just a bunch of fanatics? They're murderers, killers! My last name has a bulls eye on my back and I've seen uncles, distant relatives who have nothing to do with the company taken, executed or just never found again! It's because of the White Fang my childhood was so-so...So messed up!"

Yang and Ruby both looked surprised at the suddenly fragility in the heiress, who seemed more child than even Ruby at that moment. "My father would always come home angry, and with his two daughters being so rebellious, he would be strict..." Her arms reached up and hugged herself. "He kept telling us we had to be strong, that the White Fang and everyone else would come for them in some way or another and try to hurt us, and our family name. Winter got out because she was in the military. But me? I had to stay! And I had to bear all that hate and disappointment every failure!"

"And now that I am away from the White Fang and my father, you want me to looking for them? As a student?"

The team's leader looked torn between hugging Weiss and just sitting down to collect her own thoughts. Yang was much the same, until Ruby stepped forward and put her hand on Weiss' shoulder."Weiss, I'm sorry you had to go through that, and this. We're asking a lot, and if you don't want to help us, then you don't have to, me and Yang? We can handle this ourselves!"

"You still don't get it!" Weiss smacked her hand away. "You dolt! What about Adam? How do you think he'll feel about this when he finds out you guys lied to him after promising him you would give him this month?"

"Wait," Yang narrowed her lilac eyes and frowned. "What do you mean?"

Weiss blinked, then stepped back as if realizing she had let something slip. She glanced to the side, then back at them. "I...Overheard him talking about us a few nights ago, when he was out later...I think he was talking with that person he mentions, the one he loves?"

"Oh right, Mysterious lover..." Yang tilted her head. "What did he say?"

The heiress sighed, collected herself. "I didn't catch the beginning..."

* * *

 ** _Flashback!_**

Weiss stopped at the door to the roof where Jaune and Pyrrha said she could find their Faunus teammate, and before she could open it she heard his muffled voice through the material, faintly, so she leaned over and pressed her ear to the door, damning her curiosity.

"-A long while since I've heard your voice," He sounded amused. "I've missed it."

Were she a lesser woman Weiss would have "awww'd" at the rather simple, if touching statement. But! This was an intimate moment and something that should be kept private from snoopers like her...So she pressed closer and listened all the more closely!

"How are things on your end?" There was a shift in his tone, far more professional than his greeting. "I see, so you're secure then? Good, I don't want you taking unnecessary risks."

Weiss figured this was some sort of report period for the bull and his ally. She was about to leave when he said a name.

"Blake." Something in his voice made Weiss stop and frown, it sounded quieter, like he was ashamed. But why? "Remember what I said about the docks? That I fought our old comrades? I...Didn't just fight them...I killed them." He sounded so deadpan by the end of it that Weiss knew it was the voice of someone who had emotionally detached themselves from the conversation and was simply stating facts with the inflection brought by emotions.

She'd seen it many times on young policemen who just wanted to do their jobs and inform the family of their missing/dead relative during White Fang attacks, they would want to be anywhere else before the inevitable emotional break down of the family who's lives they just irreparably altered.

She couldn't hear the response from this "Blake" person, but Adam was clear. "Don't make excuses for me! I got angry, I...Let myself feel it again, that darkness inside me..." He snorted then, partly in disgust and another part angry at himself. "I told you I was a monster. I didn't even second guess it, I just...They had to die. All of them!"

Weiss jumped when there was a powerful crack, almost like concrete met a very unyielding fist. "And my teammates, my friends...If they ever find out what I've done, what I did on that port...To people in my past. They'd see it too..."

A bitter snort from the bull Faunus. "They'd see I'm a monster."

Weiss resisted the urge to slam the door open and tell him off that no matter what he might do they were his team! But Weiss knew a part of her would be lying if she said that she believed in him entirely. A part of he would always see her as the thing he was calling himself.

A murderer. A _monster_.

So she stayed her rash decision and continued to listen, feeling like she was betraying him in more than a number of ways by just being there...But she needed to know more about him. She needed to know who Adam Belladonna was beneath the mask of snarky cynicism he put on for the team.

"I care about what they think because they're my..." He growled, before muttering. "Friends. I said it, they're my friends. And I'm not sure how I should handle them with their current fixation with the White Fang. They keep probing and I try to deflect but it's only so long until they begin insisting more...What do I tell them?"

She could almost hear the cliché "the truth might help" line, and it seemed she was right because Adam sounded so sarcastic during his next response to this Blake.

"Yeah, that will go over well. Next you'll suggest I go on life altering adventures with each of them, one per week. Blake, this is serious...I will tell them, in time. But now? No, not yet...They're not ready, and they're probably missing me, so I'll talk to later."

"And remain safe," A click. "My love."

Weiss turned and quickly moved down the stairway to head back to the dorm, knowing Adam would arrive in his own time. And his words ran through her head the whole way back to the dorm.

 ** _End Flashback!_**

* * *

Weiss finished with a sigh and crossed her arms. "He considers us friends and you two are about to betray that friendship over an issue that isn't our problem? That he is trying to protect us for?"

Yang looked a little guilty when it was said like that, but Ruby looked heartbroken for a reason the heiress couldn't place. "He's not a monster." She whispered, as if steeling herself. "Our teammate and friend is not a monster! No matter what he thinks of himself! He can call himself a monster, or even a murderer or even some terrible-"

"Liar who's legs are knee deep in bodies?"

The three turned to the doorway where Adam stood, his eyes were narrowed, his fists clenched tightly into fists at his sides and his shoulders shook. Crimson lines along his body glowing slightly with anger. "Well?"

"Adam!" Ruby rounded fully, looking just as shocked as the others felt. "We're sorry we were talking about you-"

"Really? Because it sounds like you do more than just talk about me, sounds like you were spying too." The bull Faunus growled softly. "So who was it that decided to be nosy?"

Weiss shifted, and none of them spoke. Adam didn't need them to.

"The Schnee, figures..." He spat, standing fully and exhaling. "You didn't answer my question, Ruby Rose. If I am your teammate, would I stay that if you know what I did on those docks?"

"We do know! You kille-"

"I _butchered_ them!" Adam corrected her ferociously. "I carved them up like slaughtered sheep, spilled their blood in such amounts that the air was thick with the scent of it and not a one escaped my wrath. Because I got angry, I wanted them _dead and gone_ simply because they made me _mad_."

He stepped forward and then they stepped back, their eyes on him with a mixture of surprise, fear and confusion...He stopped short, staring at their expressions...Then at his hands, which were curled so tightly they were straining his gloves. He relaxed best be could and then looked back to them. He had wanted to hit them...To beat them for not daring to respect the bounds of his friendship...

Adam grit his teeth, whirled around and grabbed Wilt and Blush from his bed, moving for the door. "I'm going out." He said flatly. "I'll be back in time for tomorrow's classes. Do NOT try to find me, I can't guarantee I won't still be angry."

"Adam, wait!" Ruby stepped forward, but he was already opening the door and stepped out, slamming the door shut behind him so quickly the team leader bumped into it with a yelp, she quickly tried to open it and when she did she stepped into the hallway, trying to see where he could have gone.

But she saw or heard nothing. "Adam...?" She hung her shoulders. He was gone again...And despite his words, she felt like he wouldn't be coming back.

Had she lost a friend?

* * *

 **End of chapter 13**

 **And there is chapter thirteen and now we're getting the ball rolling on Volume 2! Which means yet again I will be altering certain events, and removing others. Some changes I will say now is that you might not see much of Sun and Neptune bar some scenes where they would be included outside of having Blake's influence. Like the dance, otherwise, Sun wouldn't be too bother trying to help Adam, y'know... Cause lack of flirting potential...I mean, unless Red Sun is something that exists.**

 **Oh who I am kidding, it the character has a name, it's probably been shipped! But, yeah, so, don't expect much Sun and Neppy this time around! Thank you to everyone for your continued support and patience! Until next chapter, have a nice day and or night!**


	14. Chapter 14: Missing in Action

**A Leaf Turned**

 **Chapter 14  
Missing in Action**

* * *

Yang had to admit there was something to be said about someone who fought as loudly as Adam Bellladonna being able to disappear so utterly at the drop of a hat in repeated succession that just incredibly impressive. On the other side of the coin it was also extremely frustrating.

True to his word, Adam had returned the following day for classes, and during of which he had ignored their attempts to apologize and explain themselves, he'd glanced and seemingly listened but the moment class ended he stood and walked out into the next one...And come the final class he left Beacon again and disappeared again even with their best attempts to track him down. They'd even followed him to Vale...And then promptly lost him among the streets.

The former Terrorist was good at disappearing? Yang probably should have expected that.

It had been like this for three days, classes, then Adam was gone. And by now Ruby was simply distraught at the idea that they has pushed him away entirely. Even Weiss and her "give him time" strategy was beginning to show the signs of weariness for the Faunus' continued absence. His bed had remained untouched for three days and it just seemed so...Empty without him.

This had become evident when she woke up this morning and looked at his empty with the slightest bit of hope that he would be laying there behind the curtains.

He hadn't been, of course. But it was still a hope.

But what sealed it had been when he hadn't shown for classes the previous day and now today Ruby pulled herself from the distraught shell and declared that Adam was in trouble and needed their immediate aid with whatever he was doing.

They'd argued what he could have been doing before they settled on tracking down the White Fang, afterall Adam had said if they were anyone's' problem they were his. So perhaps he had bitten off more than he chew and was being held captive? Yang doubted he could be held captive but she too was tired of this waiting for him to return.

But this idea was just sorta dumb.

"So your great plan to find him is to go searching for the White Fang and just hope that instead of getting killed we actually find him and then bring him back?" Weiss summed it up with the voice of someone who was trying not to facepalm the further in they got with the summary.

See? Just _sorta_ dumb.

"Yup!" Ruby nodded, crossing her arms and grinning. "Me and Yang will find some White Fang," She ingored Weiss' "how?" and continued along. "And super sneakily infiltrate their ranks and ask, subtly of course, if they have seen anyone with Adam's description!"

Weiss stared at them like they'd gone insane. "Okay, how do you plan to infiltrate an all Faunus organization? You're not Faunus."

"Yang! The disguises!" Ruby snapped her fingers.

The blonde grinned and turned, reaching into her pack and pulling out a pair of somethings that Weiss couldn't see.

And when turned their backs to her and bent over, seemingly fiddling with something onto their heads, Weiss rolled her eyes. "You can't honestly think a pair of White Fang masks is going to get you into one of their meetings, do you?" The Heiress honestly couldn't wait to hear their answer.

What she got was Yang and Ruby turning to her, wearing not only White Fang masks, but a pair of some...Pretty realistic feline ears atop their heads, the fur colors matching their natural hair ones. But was really stood out to Weiss was Yang's mask...

"Are you wearing Adam's mask?"

"Yuup."

"...Why?"

"Bee-cause he was an officer, if this is an officer's mask then maybe the grunts won't even question me!" Yang explained with a grin that Weiss assumed meant the plan was entirely fool proof and couldn't backfire in any shape or form.

This of course had the heiress facepalming. "Ruby, Yang. I just want to say that this plan feels not only incredibly racist, but also extremely brainless. You are literally putting your entire plan into a roll of the dice and the odds are not very good!" She stomped her foot. "And what if Adam isn't even there? Or if the mask decorations are unique to each member and they recognize Adam's mask? Seriously, Yang...And where even did Ruby get that other mask?!"

"Oh, I made it from papier-mâché!" Ruby supplied with a bright smile, proud.

The heiress had fought the urge and lost. She dragged her palm down her face. "Oh Dust and Legends..." She groaned and threw her hands up. "Fine! Since you're both dead set on this borderline suicidal mission, what exactly am I going to be doing during your infiltration?"

"Standing by and waiting for our signal to retreat or break in and provide awesome cover fire! Preferably in Slow-Mo." Ruby crossed her arms and nodded, Yang joining in.

Weiss was just wondering how long it took before she suffered an aneurism. "...How do I just make things Slow-Mo?"

"Time glyph? Duh."

Oh, right, Weiss totally could dilate time. She forgot about that particular detail. _I should probably try to work on that._ She noted, there was after all a lot of applications for time dilation. It was almost stupidly unfair with all the things they could do with that stuff.

"Alright, since you both have put so much..." _idiotic brainstorming_ "Into this plan. I have but one more question." She narrowed her eyes. "How do you plan to even find a White Fang meeting?"

Ruby smiled and looked to Yang, who slowly began to grin. Weiss didn't like that grin. "Oh don't you worry about that, Ice Queen. I have an idea..."

"Oh," Weiss sighed. "Wonderful..."

* * *

 ** _Junior's club, twenty minutes later._**..

Weiss and Ruby stood outside the shady downtown club. Ruby humming and fiddling with her cat ears while Weiss just looked entirely too uncomfortable standing outside such a seedy den. "Do my cat ears look right to you?" Ruby asked, tilting her head.

"Adorable." Weiss replied dryly. "What even is Yang doing in there? Taking a survey?"

No soon when Weiss said that did the club's windows explode with a golden flare that couldn't have been anything but Yang's semblance kicking into overdrive, followed by the booming shout of " **GIMME THE INFO, JUNIOR**!"

" _WHY ARE YOU WEARING CAT EARS?_!"

A loud gunshot.

" **WHY ARE YOU WEARING CAT EARS** _ **, WHAT**_?!"

" _ **SIR**_ _! WHY ARE YOU WEARING CAT EARS,_ _ **SIR**_ **!** "

" **BECAUSE INFORMATION**!"

Ruby looked entirely nonplussed as the sounds of violence filtered out through the club's now shattered windows, too busy staring at herself in a broken shard of glass and trying to adjust her ears so they looked proper and blended in with her hair perfectly.

Weiss meanwhile just looked all too disturbed at the doorway to the club.

* * *

 ** _Ten minutes later_**...

"Yang, what the dust is wrong with you?" Weiss asked, staring at the humming blonde with newfound caution. Was she partnered with a sociopath?

"What? I told him if he ever needed to address me it should be as sir, and when I am on business he needs to remember that." Yang replied as she ran a hand through her golden mane, as if threatening a seedy club owner and his two dozen armed guards and pair of dancing fight twins...Weiss about tuned out in horror at the "I grabbed his nuts and told him to call me sir" part honestly. "Anyways, I got the information we needed so...no harm, no foul, right?"

"Yeh!" Ruby nodded, throwing her fist into the air. "The plan is back on track!"

 _What is this feeling?_ Weiss thought as she tried to define the way her body was reacting to this strange situation. It was like something was missing, or that she was missing something terribly...Like a home sickness? She wasn't sure...But if she had to hazard an outlandish guess it was that she was, ugh... _Missing_... Adam's down to Remnant ways and sanity. Because clearly Ruby and Yang were anything BUT sane.

"Oh my god I miss Adam..." Weiss whispered to herself. She missed the former terrorist.

Something was wrong in Remnant and it might just be her life. Definitely her life.

It wasn't twenty minutes later and definitely well past their curfew when they arrived at the entrance to an alley. It looked fairly normal, except for three scratches across the smooth stone of one of the buildings, perfectly matching a swiping claw scratch. Yang nodded, glancing to Ruby before looking to Weiss. "Remember, be ready to support us on the signal."

"You never did tell me the signal." Weiss said, raising her brow.

"Oh trust me, you'll know it when you see it. So just sit pretty and wait, if all goes well we won't even need it." Yang gave a thumbs up, slid on her broken White Fang mask, before turning and moving along. Ruby nodded to Weiss and put her papier-mâché mask on as well.

Honestly Weiss just ducked into one of the other alleys and got to the roof to listen for the eventual sounds of violence when this plan no doubt went all kinds of wrong. _Adam mentioned something about Vale's water supply, I'm beginning to sorta understand that now._ She thought with a sigh.

* * *

Yang and Ruby stepped up to the door, where a pair of Faunus stood, obviously lookouts for the meeting that was supposed to be taking place within the building itself and Yang gave them each a brief nod. "Comrades."

Ruby waved meekly from behind her.

The pair glanced at each other, then to their ears, then their masks. "Why is your mask broken?" The Boar Faunus on the left asked.

"And why is that other mask papier-mâché?" The Jaguar Faunus on the right added, looking at Ruby with plain suspicion.

"And how come your ears are so stiff and unreactive?" The Boar added before they could even get a word in.

Yang blinked, and she sweat. Damn...They were about to be found out! She needed to act quickly, and convincingly. "Are you questioning a superior officer who just wants to show her younger sister what it means to be part of the only force that fights for our rights as Faunus?" Yang asked slowly, putting a bit of force behind her voice while presenting Ruby, who meep'd and pulled up her hood, obscuring her face briefly. "And she has the mask because she made it herself. A devoted gesture, I'd say."

The two glanced at each other again, seemingly having a silent debate before the Boar responded. "Alright, but just to make sure, can we feel your ears? Just to be sure you're really Faunus-"

"Are you seriously asking to feel these young woman's ears?" Yang and Ruby jumped and about faced when there was suddenly a figure behind them. Hair black and tied back in a pony tail, gleaming silver eyes visible through the slits in the mask, a fluffy tail swaying back and forth behind him.

The man was dressed like Adam, though he didn't sport any rose patterns, and instead his coat was decorated with crimson along the sleeves up to the shoulders and he wasn't wearing dress pants or shoes, just simple boots and pants with a buckle. Along with gloves, the only visible signs of his almond colored skin were his jaw and ears, his lips curled into a friendly smile.

"The meeting is about to start, please, come on in. We're happy to have more White Fang spreading our message."

"But, Perc-"

"I am an officer now, Geralt, And you should remember that." The new Faunus smiled all the same. "Now!" He looked to Yang and Ruby, gesturing them in. "Ladies first." His eyes glinted behind his decorated Grimm mask, he really was an officer...And he was getting them inside.

Yang nodded, wrapping her arm around Ruby's neck and just tugging her sister in past the guards, giving one a small growl before passing and getting inside. The Officer behind them and the door closed. "Thanks for that, they were being a bit too...Touchy?"

The canine Faunus tilted his head, then broke into a grin and laughed. "Haah, good one." Ruby whined and said "no it wasn't" but went ignored. "And it's alright, They're just being cautious, they're not bad people. None of us are!" He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We're all just trying to improve our lot in life, yeah? So...What're your names?"

"I'm Ru-Ow! Ruuuubite! Rubite Rosso!" Ruby said, saluting and lowering her hood, smiling widely.

"And I'm Xiao Rosso." Yang offered her hand for a shake, which the canine Faunus took and squeezed gingerly.

"I'm Percy Almond," The Faunus replied, grinning good naturedly. "White Fang Officer, recently appointed." He pulled his hand back and crossed his arms. "I don't recognize you, Xiao. And I was told there was only going to be three Officers posted to Vale, and since I know the Lieutenant and Jaggerjack are already here. What brings you to Vale? And where're you from? Mistral? Atlas?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

Yang considered carefully, before she replied. "Oh, well me and Rubite here are sisters, obviously. And we actually come from Patch." Sticking closest to the truth made for the best lies. "And I'm an officer in Mistral, but I was in the city and thought I'd bring my sis here to the meeting to just...Give her a show into how we do things."

Ruby nodded, smiling. "Yup! Defending our rights and freedom! I wanna do that someday."

Yang almost cringed. Ruby's acting was terrible! _We're so busted_...

"Aww," Percy smiled and reached up, ruffling Ruby's hair dangerously close to her ears...But he didn't touch them. "Well, though you seem young, I'm sure in a few more years you will be read to do that, but for now, just focus on being a kid, alright?" They could see the wink beneath his mask. "You can always fight later, we've got things well in hand."

Yang and Ruby honestly couldn't bring themselves to believe someone this...nice? was part of a terrorist organization that inspired fear in Weiss...let alone be an officer when the requirement was apparently a high bodycount! "...Thanks, Percy." Ruby smiled.

"Not a problem, anyways the meeting is starting. So, eyes up front and enjoy." He patted her head and gave a nod to Yang before he turned and moved along to seemingly find his own place.

They followed his instructions, moving closer to the group of more casually dressed Faunus, obviously the new recruits, because the real members were all easily spotted by the fact they were wearing uniforms. "You see him?"

"No, I don't see him." Ruby whispered back, looking over the crowd best she could with her stature for Adam. "Do you?"

"No, but he could still be here somewhere. Just keep your eyes-Oh no."

"Wha-" Ruby stopped and stared at who stepped up onto the stage.

It was Roman Torchwick and he was being introduced as a very special guest. Some of the Faunus riled, calling out for answers to why a Human was at their meeting. And Roman casually smiled and tipped his hat. "Glad you asked, deery," He dubbed her with a name that would stick with her forever. "As you are no doubt aware Humans are the worst. I'll be the first to admit..." And so, Roman spoke, enthralling the crowd.

Ruby and Yang were just beginning to get uncomfortable. If Roman spotted Ruby their whole cover would be blown. So, Yang moved forward and block Ruby from view. While glancing to the tarped thing that had some short girl standing beside it, spinning her parasol like she would rather be anywhere else.

And just in time because Torchwick threw off the tarp to reveal...A mech suit? "Oh my dust that's a mech suit."

"Mech suit?" Ruby hopped up onto Yang's shoulders to get a better look and just in time for Roman to look over, spot that little red hooded cloak and narrow his visible eye. "Oops." Ruby dropped down. "I think he saw me."

"Hey, you there!" Roman pointed his cane. "Lilttle Red!"

Yang growled, "Fine, but I bet he can't see in the dark." She un folded her gauntlet and threw a fist, a single gunshot echoing out.

"Yang wai-" Crack! Flicker...And darkness. A moment of silence. "Yang we can't see in the dark either."

"Oh yeah..."

"Also, can't Faunus see in the dark really well?"

"Yeah," A voice from Yang's left supplied rather sheepishly. "We can."

Yang sighed. "Oh...Right." _Well damnit_.

* * *

 **End of chapter 14**

 **There it is, chapter 14! A more RWY centric one, as the hunt for Adam continues and they launch their investigation to find the missing bull, and yes, I did skip the whole meeting with Penny, because honestly I didn't feel it was all that important to the story, and I've changed more than a few events, so this seemed fairly minor.**

 **That said, thanks to all those who continued to show their support, I appreciate it! And to the guest who asked if Adam's suggestion about life changing adventures, yes, that was indeed a nod to Zuko from Legend of Aang!**

 **Until next time, peoples! Take care and have a nice day/night!**

 **PS. Percy is a Dingo Faunus.**

 **P.P.S. He did not eat your babies.**


End file.
